The Shadow
by Playwrite-Chailyn
Summary: Not good with summaries, so bare with me...Placed in a time after the last of Kenshin's rivals have been dealt with, only now Kaoru's past is coming to haunt her. Namely her ancient family that seems to suddenly appear from now where with a request... rep
1. The Path Home

Ok, I just wanna state this now, I do not own Kenshin and company. I am merely using them to fufill my boredom and write something original. However I do own Hitoriki Kage, and Kaoru's "family", so here we go.

"normal speach"

'thoughts

_Battousai's speach_

* * *

"Kage, how long do you plan to fight?" A female voice spoke softly to a figure in the shadows of the over hang. Her brown locks were swept up into a loose bun at the crown of her head. Chocolate eyes darkened in concern and fear, fear for the one she spoke to. "You can't continue like this, you're body is all ready covered in fresh wounds, not to mention old scars that are barely healed. Please Kage, stop?" she begged and grabbed hold of a bandaged arm; tears slipped down her cheeks.

The shadowed figure pulled their arm loose and turned to face the woman. Normally dark eyes glowed brightly in the fading light of the sun. Anger filled eyes, rimmed with knowledge stared at the woman. She whimpered and stepped away.

"No," was the only word spoken as Kage turned away from her. She huffed and straightened her spine and she felt her resolve strengthen.

"There is only one thing that will make you rest and even then you push too much. You can not fight the truth forever Kage. When you finally do admit it, there is a chance we won't be around to help you, and then you'll have none to blame but yourself." She spun on her heel and stomped away, she barely opened the shoji door when Kage's voice stopped her.

"I will rest when my part is done, I'm sorry my friend, but you know I won't let anything happen to you and minna-san." She sighed and placed her hand on the edge of the door as she bowed her head.

"Don't worry about minna-san, we can care for ourselves, we're more worried about you." She smiled faintly and looked over her shoulder to find Kage looking at her with night colored eyes. "Just stay alive until the end." Kage let a faint smile appear and turned from her to look outside again.

"You have my word Tae, so long as you promise me the same." Tae giggled and nodded, then remember that Kage couldn't see her.

"You have my word; just remember the Akabeko is always open to you." She watched Kage nod and disappear from sight. With a sigh Tae shook her head and left the room, closing the door softly behind her. "Please Kami, keep her alive."

* * *

Chapter One: The Path Home

"Welcome to the Akabeko!" a young girl smiled and bowed before her sight could register the familiar faces of the inhabitants of the Kamiya dojo.

"Good evening Tae-dono," a masculine voice said, she jerked up and smiled even brighter at the sight of her friends.

"Oh, it's been so long since you've come down,"

"Yeah, well busu hasn't been in the kitchen for a while and," he was cut off by Kaoru hitting him in the head.

"Little ungrateful brat," Kaoru mutter and turned to smiled at Tae, "I've been too busy trying to put some money in the dojo, and get some students back. Thankfully Kenshin has been around to handle things." Tae nodded in agreement and led the group to a table in the back. Before Kaoru could sit, Tae tugged on her kimono sleeve.

"I just remembered that I wanted your opinion on a new painting upstairs." Kaoru's eyes lit in understanding.

"Another of your collection?" Tae nodded and walked from the table closely followed by Kaoru. They quietly climbed the stairs, Kaoru's mind wandered.

"It came the other day; I was going to bring it if you didn't come soon." Tae stopped rambling as a warm hand gripped her right shoulder. They stood in Tae's room above and just behind the diner.

"Tae, just let me see it," Tae nodded and reached into a drawer on her desk. When she turned back to Kaoru she held a parchment folded up.

"He sent me one as well, he's asking for his dying wish," Tae said, sadness lacing her soft voice. "He wasn't even sure you were alive. Didn't you ever go to him?" Kaoru sighed as she read the short letter and shook her head.

"I couldn't, I know that I should have but he would have pushed me into following him, when all I wanted was a little peace and quite. I wanted to rebuild my life with what was left of my past"

"Kaoru that was the one thing he had asked of you. You have to go to him now," Tae's voice and posture was firm. Kaoru nodded distractedly and placed the letter in the folds of her obi. "Kaoru," Tae tapped her foot lightly and crossed her arms under her breast.

"Okay, okay, I'll go, but you have to get the money from the account. If the guys find out that it's my money that's getting me there, I'll never hear the end of it." At Tae's questioning glance, Kaoru explained, "I'll just tell them he sent the ticket." Tae shook her head and laughed.

"Come, the others have to be wondering where you are," Tae said leading her from the room and down the stairs. "You'll have to send my regards; our busy season is just starting. So I can't afford to leave."

"Thank you for dropping this on me old friend," Kaoru laughed, hugged Tae and returned to her table with the others.

"How was the painting Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin looked up from the food. Thankfully Yahiko had his mouth full so he couldn't make a come back.

"It was magnificent. There are no real words to describe it," she spoke with amazement and excitement. "Enough about the painting, lets eat and enjoy this peace," 'Because it's not going to last much longer.' She didn't show any of her inner thoughts, but led everyone to believe she was enjoying herself.

When the gang got ready to leave, Tae pulled Kaoru aside and gave her a small box. Kenshin watched the exchange carefully, and noted a veiled understanding in Kaoru's eyes. She had been slightly withdrawn all day, ever since Tae had taken her to see the 'painting'. _She's hiding something_ 'I know she is, but how can sessha ask for her to reveal a secret she obviously doesn't wish to share.' _Would you remember who the hell you are? You are me, a legendary hitoriki, a man slayer!_ Kenshin's ears rung from his other personality yelling at him.

"Kenshin, are you all right?" Kaoru's voice silenced the warrior in him long enough to respond.

"Hai, I'm just thinking, that I am," his usual rurounin attitude back in place, she nodded and took his arm as they walked away. "What did Tae-dono hand you Miss Kaoru?"

"I'm not sure; she said something about an old friend wanting to see me again." Kaoru shrugged her shoulders and looked at the box.

"An old friend?"

"Yeah from during the war, I may have been young, but not that young," she laughed slightly at Kenshin's questioning glance. "If it's the guy I think it is, he's also family," she said and rubbed her right temple.

"I thought you had no family, that I didn't," his eyes flashed golden.

"He's not someone you want to talk to; he's all about having a family and not fighting. My father always told me to be careful around him; he might trick me into marriage." Kaoru laughed again and looked forward to the gate of the dojo. "My otou-san called him a trickster god."

"Exactly who is he?"

"My uncle, he took care of me during the war. Thankfully I was too young for him to marry off back then." Kenshin's posture relaxed slightly, almost unnoticeably.

"That was generous of him that it was." 'Thank Kami that he's not your age,' _A little scared?_

"Of course his number one prospect was a young swordsman that was distant kin to his deceased wife. Last time I saw the boy he was growing into his skin, he should be a few years younger than you." Kenshin felt a jolt of fear race up his spine, and his posture stiffened at her words.

"You are being very calm Kaoru-dono that you are. But why?" Kenshin asked. With her back to him, she smiled. She could hear the undercurrent of jealousy.

"I know my uncle, I know his moves. Besides I all ready have a family and I'm happy." She said walking through the gate and heading straight for her room. 'I don't want to loose you above anything else,' she thought as she opened the box behind the closed doors of her room.

Resting inside the simple box was a few hundred yen and a kunai with a dragon carved in the small blade. Smiling, she shook her head and handled the old kunai with care, knowing Tae there was no poison, but one could never be too careful. Kaoru tucked the blade in the folds of her obi and hid the yen in her purse which went inside her kimono between in her breast. There was a small slip of paper folded in the bottom. She unfolded it and read it.

Kaoru,

Travel with care and remember to come back.

The Akabeko is always open to you.

Tae

Kaoru smiled and folded the note up and placed it back in that box, slid the lid shut and set it on her low desk by the window. 'I just wonder what my uncle wants,' she asked herself as she pulled out the letter from him.

Kaoru,

I hope this letter finds you alive and well. I know that my words when we last saw each other were most likely the reason why you have yet to see me. I can never apologize enough for what happened, but I am asking you to come to my side now in my dying days. I will not request more for I know the chance of you answering this one is slim.

Uncle

Kaoru sighed and place the letter on the box, 'I have no choice really, it's his dying wish, and he is kin.' She sighed and rubbed her temples, 'This can only create chaos.'

"Busu, Kenshin says there is a bath ready if you wanna bathe. And you might want to," Yahiko muttered the last sentence. Kaoru's eye twitched as she stood silently and ripped open the door to find Yahiko walking away from her room.

"You little brat!" she yelled and the classic chase of teacher and student could be seen in the yard of the Kamiya dojo. Kenshin and Sano's laughter could be heard from the door to the sitting room where they were talking.

"So you think Jo-chan will go alone?" Sano chuckled as Kaoru caught Yahiko and knock the poor teen into the ground to the point that his body formed an indent. She stood and walked toward her room, most likely to get a change of clothes. Kenshin watched the woman closely and nodded.

"She told me that her uncle had requested to see her, from the way she was spoke, it was to find her a husband and get her to start a family." Kenshin's eyes flashed gold as he spoke, making Sano shrink away from the former hitoriki. "But she said she won't let him do that, because she all ready has a family." He spoke softly, and Sano almost missed it; yet it made the ex-gangster smile to know the little missy saw them as family.

"I was wondering when she would call us family, I mean after everything we've all been through together. It only makes sense," Sano looked back to the yard and saw the boy trying to get up, and a small way away was the missy entering the bath house. "I guess that makes me her big brother," he stood and walked to the boy still trying to get up, and grabbed him by the collar. "Come on Yahiko; let's get you to the Fox so she can look at those." With the young samurai slung over his shoulder, Sano left through the main gate toward the medical clinic.

Kenshin laughed at the two 'brothers' to Kaoru and looked to the bath house where he knew she was. _Go in there and tell her_ his hitoriki yelled at him. 'I can't do that to her, she's too young and innocent.' _She is not you fool! Have you truly forgotten everything from the war that Hiko taught you?_ 'What are you talking about?' The warrior growled with a feral quality in his mind as his eyes flashed gold again. _She is not as innocent as she seems. The shadow we first saw around her is darker and taking over her natural bright aura._ 'True, but how do we know it is not the death of her parents hanging over her? And/or her age slowly erasing the brightness?' Another growl echoed in his head, and he got the distinct feeling of his other half pulling at their hair.

_You are a true idiot, but I am going to let this go for now, only because when she leaves we will follow her and I'll finally prove to your simpleton self what I'm saying._ 'No we will not, this is a family matter and I will not let you humiliate the poor woman.'

"Kenshin?" Kaoru's timid voice reach his ears, he looked up at her and saw concern and fear in the sapphire depths of her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Hai, gomen nasi for scaring you Kaoru-dono, sorry," he smiled as she smiled.

"Its all right Kenshin, you just sat there staring into space, not responding to anything." She eased her cleansed body to sit next to him, her long hair in a heavy wet braid that rested over her shoulder. He watched her from the corner of his eye as he always did, her presence soothing his tired soul. "Its beautiful tonight isn't it Kenshin?"

"Yes it is Kaoru-dono, truly it is," he looked fully at her when she sighed, "What's the matter Kaoru-dono?"

"I'm leaving in the morning, and I don't truly desire to go." She caught his confused looked and tried to explain. "I mean I love my kin, but I don't want to hear the lecture about not being married and childless. My uncle was never much of a fighter; he was more of a lover and a family man." She laughed and shook her head, "He actually was sent home early in the war, sent home by a hitoriki."

"A hitoriki?"

"Hai, Kage sent him home, saying that his family needed him more than the war did. It was humorous to the family that someone like Kage agreed with us."

"Your uncle knew Kage?" if she had looked at him, she would have seen his eyes flash gold for a moment at the name.

"Knew Kage? The family was practically bonded to the warrior. The hitoriki was and still is the family guardian, but no one has seen or heard from Kage in over ten years." Kenshin's aura and mind settled with the knowledge that Kage wasn't around, but he was still curious about how it was possible. "Well I guess I should go to sleep, I do need to be up early so I can get to the family house by night fall."

"Sleep well Kaoru-dono, I'll make sure that you have a healthy breakfast before you leave." She giggled and thanked him as she walked to her room and closed the door. Kaoru leaned against the frame of her door and sighed. She sent out a silent apology to Kenshin for lying to him. She would have to leave before everyone awoke if she was to get out of here on time. The walk after the train ride would take most of her day and she wanted to be in Yosaka by dinner time. She settled under the covers and yawned. Tomorrow would be a long day and not a pleasant one.

Kaoru looked around the sleeping dojo and shook her head with a smile. She checked for her purse resting against her sternum and the kunai within her obi. She didn't care much for the dark jade green of her kimono, it was the family color. Along with the black dragon that curled around her left shoulder on hung on her breast to stare at all that saw her.

The smile turned to grin as she remember the black hakama and light jade gi that Kage always wore, but the dragon had resided on the right showing the guardianship. Unfortunately not many knew about the Kamiya crest any more. It was a thing of the past that everyone ignored nowadays.

Sighing she gripped the travel bag and bokken that she never left home without. She slid the door shut and quietly walked out of the grounds without placing on her shoes. Kaoru knew full well that Kenshin would hear it and awake when she needed him asleep. She would wait until she was a block away and closer to traffic to put them on.

Once she reached the station she looked back toward the dojo and sadness filled her eyes. 'I'm sorry everyone, Tae please take care of them.' She walked to the train and found an empty room. After making sure everything was in quick reach she relaxed in her seat next to the window to watch the people run around. Some reminded her distinctly of chickens with their head's cut off. She laughed as one mother was rushing around trying to catch all the children she was caretaker to. Tears came to sapphire eyes as a couple shared a teary, loving goodbye.

"Miss, is it okay if I sit here?" A male voice brought her from her observations. Kaoru turned to see a rather handsome young man looking at her and pointing to the seat across from her. She nodded quickly and looked back out the window as the train whistle sounded the warning. "So where are you headed Miss...um?"

"Kamiya, I'm going to Yosaka," he nodded in understanding.

"I should have recognized the color and dragon," Kaoru looked at him shocked.

"You know the old family crests?" he nodded with a smile and pointed to his bag which he had put up yet. She could see the faint outline of a set of swords. She grinned and held out her hand to him to shake and told him to sit across from her. "It's been a while since I met anyone with knowledge of the crests. From what family do you hail?"

"The Kirken, we're a small family, not many know of us,"

"You're a bushido family, a really low key family, you fought as protectors in the war, and you were allies of Kage." He stared at her in wonder at her smile and grinned.

"You really know your stuff Miss Kamiya." He stopped short as he seemed to remember something. "Wait a moment; didn't Kage fight for the Kamiyas?" Kaoru's smile widened and she nodded, "But his dragon was on his right shoulder." Kaoru sighed and rubbed her temples, he asked her what was wrong and she looked up at him.

"_Her_ shoulder," he looked at her as if she was crazy and shook his head.

"I met him, Kage is a man." She sighed again and slumped in her seat, 'this is going to be a long train ride.' she thought as the train pulled out of the station.

"I'll tell you a story about when I was a kid. I lived in a small dojo a few miles out of Osaka where I first met her. She was under training by my aunt's husband. Whenever she was hurt during training my aunt and I would be the one's to tend to her wounds. At that age any would easily believe her to be a man. Kage's body was young and small in structure, any shape she had was hidden by the hakama and gi.

"I left for Yosaka not to long after and came under the care the other Kamiya's still alive. We heard word of Kage's battles to protect my aunt and uncle. I begged the family to take her in and care for her. And once more I found myself in Kage's company while caring for her wounds." Kaoru looked out the windows as she remembered the past and the blood. A grief filled her eyes as she spoke, "My uncle barely managed to survive the fight and escape with Kage. My poor aunt, they had mercilessly stabbed her and saw to her death before coming after my uncle and Kage.

"She continued to return to us until roughly ten years ago when she and my one of my uncles had and argument about her life after the war. In all that time I was the one person that Kage trusted to treat her wounds. I watched as her body went through the changes from childhood into adulthood. So Mr. Kirken, do not question my knowledge of Hitoriki Kage."

She heard him sigh and turned back to him. He had crossed his arms over his chest and had a faint grin on his face. Kirken shook his head with that same grin and chuckled.

"I should have known. Kage always avoided contact with everyone, especially the women who we offered or offered themselves. Many of them were heartbroken to not be able to share Kage's bed." Now it was Kaoru's turn to grin, a sly look in her sapphire gaze.

"More like they were disappointed to not get a chance at the seed of a powerful warrior." He chuckled and nodded with a faint blush on his cheeks. "See, I bet you had a female in your family that even tried at her a few times." Again he nodded, with slight guilt.

"My older sister Yuka. She's happily married now, and she has two healthy daughters and is expecting another child. That's why I'm heading to Kyoto." Kaoru felt a pang of jealousy in her heart as he continued to speak of his sister and nieces; and the man her sister married.

Eventually the ticket master came around and checked them off. He told Kaoru that it would be about fifteen minutes before they reached her stop. She thanked him and took back her ticket.

"Quite a bit of a walk from Shiru to Yosaka isn't it? And for a beautiful young woman such as yourself, it's a bit dangerous if you ask me."

"Well I am a master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, I didn't gain that title just by being my father's daughter. I earned it; besides I stay in shape. I'm not afraid of any bullies or anything along the roads." She said with a grin as the voice sounded off the time till the stop. "And I never leave home unprepared," Kaoru point to above here were her bag and bokken rested in easy reach.

"Smart woman." he nodded

"Well you don't grow up in a war and not learn a few things," she said with a shrug. The rest of the ride was in silence. When the train stopped Kaoru said a quick fair well to him and grabbed her stuff before rushing out the door and off the train.

Only once she was on the dirt road to Yosaka did she relax. No one would bother her now, this would be one of the few times she was grateful to her family crest. No burglars or muggers would dare to touch a Kamiya in this region. Sadly if anyone was to try and touch her at this moment, she might snap and hurt them far worse then anything her kin could do.

All that Mr. Kirken's talk of his sister's family and about his fiancé struck a deep cord with Kaoru. She had wanted to strangle him personally to get him to shut his mouth. But she couldn't, she would have gotten into trouble. She sighed and rolled her shoulders and popped her neck.

Her mind kept trailing back to home in Tokyo, 'I hope they don't get too upset when they find me gone like that.' She could just imagine Kenshin's reaction, and couldn't help the frown. He would stay calm, and search her room for clues; tearing the whole thing apart. 'I pray he doesn't find those loose floor boards. Heaven knows what he'll do when he finds my father's sword hidden away like that. Sometimes I hate you Kage, I wish I had never let you use my father's sword.' She sighed and rubbed her temples, ranting in her mind toward Kage would not change a damned thing and she knew it.

She looked a head of her and watched the road, knowing that though no one would touch her, they would leer at her. When they did that a simple icy look that she was famous in her family for would discourage them and they would run off. She grinned as the light faded to dark slowly and saw the wall of Yosaka in her approach.

Against the entrance to the city stood two guards in traditional armor, they crossed their spears in front of her asking for her name. She grinned, even though she bore the family crest they were still wary of outsiders. "Kamiya Kaoru, daughter to Master Kamiya Ryuko and Lady Kamiya Kanga. And master of the Kamiya Kasshin." Their gasps of surprise and the clanking of armor and weapon made her truly smile. Voices yelling inside of the walls made her look at her old home and bow her head to the people she passed.

A woman stood in front of the main doors to the family house which was straight down the main road from the gate. She stood there with a smile as Kaoru approached her and bowed.

"Kaoru, silly girl, stand before me at my side not bow as the servant you once were in youth." The gentle soothing pitch of the elder woman made Kaoru glance at her as she stood. The woman had aged with beauty, her once pitch black hair showed grey streaks that were swept back into a bun at the nape of her neck. Her sun kissed skin looked pale and her face held laughter lines. But Kaoru could tell her body had not aged by the way she held her back straight and held out a hand that did not shake with age.

Kaoru again grinned and stood to face her fully, "It has been a long time Aunt Saka." The woman now known as Saka smiled gently and held out her arms for Kaoru. Of who gladly complied in crushed herself against her aunt.

"We've missed you so much little Kaoru and you've grown into such a beautiful woman." Saka's words brought tears to Kaoru's eyes but she knew better than to answer the hidden question. She asked her own instead.

"How is he?" she whispered while pulling away from her aunt to grab the bag she had set down and followed her in. Saka sighed and shook her head solemnly. "That bad?" Again Saka gave silence as her response. "Did my master stay after I left?"

"He was stubborn about it, but yes he did. He teaches the children basics now; you are his successor after all. We keep telling him that he doesn't need to teach, but he keeps saying that he won't grow old like your uncle has." This made Kaoru laugh as well as her aunt despite the fact that it was her husband that was dying.

They came to stand outside of a shoji door, their laughter dying immediately. Saka held out a hand and Kaoru gave her the travel bag.

"Let him know you're alive and well, and then he can rest." Kaoru nodded and waited for the elder woman to leave before sighing inwardly and setting her shoulders square. He may be dying but knowing him, he'll still pound her ears about marriage and children. She carefully slid the door open to the room and found him lying on his futon staring out the window to the fading light.

"So you decided to grace me with knowledge of your living finally?" his voice a quiet raspy version of the form she remembered; he tried to sit up but fell. She rushed to his side and helped him brace his body against the wall near by. "Twelve years is a long time," She set her lips in a firm line as she bowed to him in respect for his family position. "Rise child, you owe me no respect. You have every right to command this family and this city. So rise." And she did her back straight and firm while she sat there in silence with him.

"Had you ever planned to tell me you were still alive?" She didn't answer him, couldn't answer him. "We all thought you dead, especially after learning that you had once more crossed paths with Battousai." She bit her tongue as a lady was supposed to and merely clinches her fist, digging her nails into her palms. "But Akio insisted you would never be beat by him. I believed him and left you to your own life if you still had one. Then this happened; I had to speak to you before everything came to past." He finally turned to look her in the eye.

"You have a responsibility to this family Kaoru; you can no longer ignore it. Your father and aunt ran from it, but I did not. My children have run from it as they did and declared themselves unfit for the title. You are the only one left." A faint sigh left her and he turned silently back to the window.

"I can not uncle; it's all ready been proven. Genzai ran all forms of tests and studies. Every single one said my time during the war had wounded me too deeply" She gritted her teeth and bowed her head as tears slipped past her guard. "I will never be able to have children." He sighed, making her look up at him in curiosity as she wiped away her tears on her sleeve.

"That is not what I meant dear child; I meant we need you to protect us once more." He paused and turned from the window again, his age clearly showing in his eyes. "We are at war."

* * *

One thing I forgot to mention is that this story is a repost. Originally titled Koi's Blade, I didn't like how the chapters had formed and I forgot that I had posted it all ready, hehe. Any who, I think I have all the kinks worked out, if there is any problems with grammar let me know, I'm a college student so I don't get a lot of time to go over these things and edit.  



	2. Decisions

Before I start this chapter I just want to thank those who reviewed:

demi-godesswriter, LCES, Reignashii (thanks for telling me what shadow was!), x-aiden-x, Aya45, Kiorru-dono  
Before anyone asks, this _is_ a repost, I rewrote the original chapters 'cause I wasn't satisfied with them. Well on with the chapter!

"Speech"  
'thoughts'  
_Battousai speaking

* * *

_

Chapter Two: Decisions

"What?" she said in a shocked voice, her eyes hardening.

"We need you to summon Kage back to us. She's our only hope in this battle."

"No," she said as she stood and walked to the shoji door that led outside to his personal garden to open it.

"I'm not giving you a choice Kaoru-"

"I don't care." She said while sliding the shoji open to allow the cool night air to waft in. "I told you twelve years ago I would not summon her back after the war and I meant it."

"We need her Kaoru, she's the only hope and even Akio admits that we need her." This made Kaoru look over her shoulder through narrowed eyes. As if she was gauging him for truth, when she turned back she snorted faintly.

"Akio may be an uncle to me and my master, but I will not be tricked into this twice in my life." She heard the growl from her uncle and knew something else was amiss. "You're _not_ dying are you?" The startled gasp she heard brought a grin to her lips as she bowed her head in the breeze. "You should have known better uncle; I spent too long training and watching Akio to not know." The deep, tired sigh her uncle gave made her turn to look at him while bracing her weight against the door frame.

"Kaoru, you were our last hope, and still are, I knew if I summoned you as the head of the family you wouldn't come. I am sorry to lie in a fashion of a way, but I will die as will the rest of this town if you do not summon Kage." She glared at him through narrow slits for sapphire eyes.

"Your trump card I'm betting," she muttered darkly, "You knew the minute you mentioned innocent lives I would come running. I hate you and Akio for the heart you raised me with." She bowed stiffly and turned to leave through the open door way. "But I'm not the same woman I was then, I'll leave in the morning; good night." With that said she left the room and walked along the covered walk way to the room she knew was reserved for her.

She sighed dejectedly as she slid open the shoji to reveal the turned down futon and blankets, the walls carefully decorated with scenic scrolls. Her old room from her youth where she would lie awake at night wondering how long until the war ended. Where she and Kage would talk until the sun rose above the distant mountains. 'Those were the days,' she thought after closing the door.

She slid out of her family kimono, slipped on a simple white yukata and crawled into her old bed. 'I wonder how everyone is back home? I hope they didn't get too angry when they found me gone.' She thought while drifting off to sleep not caring that she missed dinner and that only a few rooms away her uncles and aunt were talking about her.

* * *

Kenshin woke to the normal silence of the morning, but something was off; out of place. He lifted himself from his futon and reached for his sword to secure it to his side. Once certain everything in his room was in its proper place he set about checking all the rooms where everyone slept. No he was not a pervert or a hentai, but he did worry. Yahiko was still deep asleep which was slightly odd; normally the boy was awake about the same time as him. 

This meant that what was off was Kaoru over sleeping. Which when she was stressed or upset she was prone to do. He would just have to be nice while waking her up for breakfast. With that decided he retreated to the kitchen to cook.

_I doubt she's even in there you baka,_ Kenshin groaned and tried to ignore his other half. A half which had strangely become more vocal since the last of his opponents had left him alone. 'She practically told us how much she dreaded this trip last night, sessha can only respect her decision to sleep in and leave her be; that I can.' _Would you listen to yourself? In the waking world you are a complete idiot and simpleton, yet in your sleep you make me proud to be a part of you._ Kenshin felt his cheeks flush and he bit the inside of his mouth when the hitoriki pulled out some images from his dreams.

'Stop that, sessha would never think that way of Kaoru-dono. Those are all your doing!' he almost yelled in his mind. An image of Battousai shaking his head came to the fore front of Kenshin's mind. _No I did not, those dear baka rurounin, are all you._ Kenshin's hand stilled while chopping vegetables for the miso soup.

"Mornin' Kenshin, what's up? Missy and Yahiko have another fight? That why it's so quite 'round here?" Sano's voice brought him out of his thoughts and he returned to chopping.

"Good morning Sano," he said with out looking over his shoulder to the taller man, "Kaoru-dono and Yahiko-san are still a bed." Sano next words stopped him cold.

"That's funny I thought I saw little missy passing through town with her travel bag this morning."

"What?" Kenshin set down the knife and turned to Sano, a curious look to his violet eyes.

"You heard me; I think she was headed for the train station." Kenshin flew from the kitchen and to Kaoru's bedroom door. 'She left with out saying good bye?' was his only thought as he pushed the door to the side.

Her room was clean and her futon rolled up neatly. A note set atop the futon, which he grabbed in haste and skimmed, then reread in a calmer pace.

Kenshin,

I know it will be you to find this first. So I thought I should tell you that I am sorry I will be missing one of your delicious meals and possibly several depending on what my uncle wants. Please do not worry about me, I will return as soon as I can.

Truly,

Kaoru

P.S. Don't be mad for my leaving like I did, I knew one of you would beg to follow me and its best that you don't. This is a personal, family matter.

'See, I told you she would not appreciate us following her,' the hitoriki in him growled and made him reread the note a few more times. _I think she is hiding something…. _Battousai made him reread the note yet again and growled from the depths of his mind. _Why would she ask us not to worry about her if she was going to a safe destination? _'I'm not sure,' Kenshin thought as he looked around Kaoru's room for some form of a clue. _What's more is why would say that it was best if we left her alone? She knows that she belongs to me!_ 'Us, and again I'm not sure,' Kenshin sighed as Battousai went off on one of his possession rants and left Kaoru's room to make breakfast. He needed to speak to Tae. The woman knew something that she wasn't telling and Kenshin was determined to find out just what it was she was hiding.

Kenshin could feel his darker half pacing within him, like a tiger waiting to pounce. He knew that Battousai would listen closely to the conversation and detect the hidden layers. That's what worried him more than anything else. If at any point Kenshin couldn't hold his other half in check, it would scare Tae within a moment of fainting. He sighed deeply as he stood outside the clam Akabeko's doors.

"…how long do you think….."

"Not sure….Shin seemed desperate for….I'm worried," he heard snips of two voices, one male and the other female. _Tae and Genzai _his counter part stated somewhat calmly. _Get in there now and find out, but don't let them know you're here._ 'Yes I know,' Kenshin thought as he stealthily crept in the entrance and moved to where he could hear them over the voices of the few customers after the morning rush.

"I want to see her safe and sound back here in Tokyo," Genzai muttered and sipped a cup of tea. Tae sat across from him wringing her hands in a worried fashion; her normally happy eyes were clear and full of worry. She nodded sharply and sighed.

"It feels just like during the Bakamatsu, always wondering when she would return or if she would. I hate this feeling Shu, I was raised with her, she is practically my sister and yet…Oh I don't know any more. I just want her home safe and sound." He could hear her voice struggling not to crack under the pressure of tears.

"What exactly did Shin tell you?" Again Tae sighed and sat up right to stare at the older man.

"He said that he may need to call me to the front if she refuses to cooperate and summon Kage. She is the only one who can after all. He's too afraid of Kage to even think of it himself." She paused to think about something and shook her head slowly. "I don't know how much help I would be in the fight or to persuade her to call for help. I'm so rusty I don't know if I can even hold my kunai any more," Kenshin felt shock course through both him and Battousai as they listened to the meek restaurant owner. "I gave her one of my blades to protect her self and remind her that we're always here." Kenshin couldn't take this any more, he had a bad feeling that his beloved was in danger and it was because of this uncle of hers, and Kage.

He stepped from the shadows, making Tae jump and Genzai turned to him with wide eyes. He leashed his desire to wring them for better details and stared at Tae.

"Where is she?"

"Kenshin-san, what a pleasant surprise," he cut her off as he sat between the both on one side of the table.

"I heard what you were talking about. Now where is Kaoru?" Tae sighed and looked to Genzai who nodded and she opened her mouth to speak. But no words came from her lips as her mouth open and closed. "Tae, I'm serious." He allowed a little of the gold to gleam in his eyes making her gasp.

"Yosaka," was her breathy reply. The city was one he had heard of and passed through during the war, but had not stayed long. It was Kage's only territory and he had not wanted to cross any boundaries from one assassin to another. Even if they were bitter enemies and rivals, one did not insult another without punishment. He nodded and moved to rise, but hand on his arm stopped him. He looked down to see it was Tae; she had over come her fear and was staring at him with determination. "If you intend to go, then I will help you so long as she comes back whole. Kaoru means a great deal to us more than you will ever realize." He nodded and removed her hand but Genzai's voice stopped him.

"She'll be different than what you're used to Himura-san. Don't cross her temper." He nodded and looked to Tae as he bowed, only to find she had risen from her place and removed her normal apron and set it on the table.

"Tsubame, mind the restaurant, I'll be gone only a short time." Her words short and simple to the young girl, she walked out the door with Kenshin hot on her heels. "There is something I need for you to take to her. Knowing her, she left it behind when she may need it."

"And what is this?" Tae seemed to wince at his voice when he deepened an octave. But she sighed and used her right hand to rub her temple slightly as they walked at a brisk pace.

"Her father's sword." Kenshin eyed the woman before him and noticed her stiff posture as she walked. Almost as if she was irritated at him or someone else, maybe herself. _Of course she is baka. We forced her to tell us something she held no desire to share._ Kenshin could tell the hitoriki was grinning as he walked behind Tae. He sighed inwardly so as not to attract her attention and let her remain focused on their destination.

"Hey Kenshin," called Sano's voice from behind him and made him look over his shoulder to the former gangster. Sano slapped a hand on his shoulder once he caught up with the two who were still walking. "Where were you? Yahiko walked into breakfast this morning and neither you nor Jou-chan showed up. We went to find ya but both you and her were just gone." Kenshin smiled at him in apology and opened his mouth to explain when Tae cut him off.

"Himura-san had come to the Akabeko this morning to speak with me about some matters in the kitchen since Kaoru will be gone for the next few days." Sano looked ahead of them as if just noticing the woman and looked confused. A grin broke out across his lips as they walked in the gate of the Kamiya Dojo.

"Well I'll be damned; she _did_ give you the slip didn't she?" Sano said turning back to Kenshin of who frowned. He laughed and smacked the smaller man on the back. "Oh man, I never thought I'd see the day that missy got one up on you Kenshin!" Kenshin and Tae left him at the gate laughing and continued to Kaoru's room where Tae smoothly slid the door open and dropped to the floor before Kaoru's futon that was still rolled up.

"Please close the door Kenshin and remain outside I have to remember where she hid it," he silently obeyed and leaned against the wall next to the door. _You shouldn't be sitting here…You should be in there see what else our beloved has hidden from us._ 'No, its Kaoru's personal space and Tae has known her for most of her life. She has a right to be in there, not us.'

'Forgive me for this Kaoru and you as well Kage,' Tae thought as she lifted up three floor boards under the futon and pulled up a sword wrapped in black silk. She sighed and reached back in yet again and pulled out a brown leather bag. A black dragon stitched in the worn material. Kaoru's father used the bag to travel in his youth and had given it to his only daughter; along with the sword that rested by Tae's legs. 'Why didn't you take the bag Kaoru?' Tae shook her head and replaced the boards with care so that it looked as if they had never been moved. She stood, lifted both objects in her arms and turned to open the door. After sliding it aside she turned to face Kenshin who was staring across the yard with a blank expression. She shivered slightly, remembering when Kage had come around that's all she had ever seen from the warrior.

"Kenshin? Here is the sword and one more thing I thought about. It's Kamiya-sama's old travel bag, I packed her a gi and hakama and some bindings for her chest so she can train while there. It seems she forgot to pack them herself." He seemed to contemplate her answer for a moment and then grabbed the bag and sword. "One more thing though Kenshin, do not open the wrappings on the sword,"

"Why?"

"Because only a member of the Kamiya clan is permitted to handle the actual sword. If anyone else was to touch it, it would be seen as a dishonor. And I know you do not wish to see her dishonored, do you Kenshin?" Her words were meant more as a statement, but he understood her as his eyes flashed golden for a moment.

"I will see to it that no one touches it." He said and turned to walk to his room, he needed to pack a light bag and be on his way. The trip to Yosaka would be a long one, with out the train at least four days. But he had managed to earn some petty cash and would spend that to get a ticket to the closest city and walk from there. He sighed as he heard Tae's quiet steps halt at his door. He looked up at her and noticed her fighting her tears. She held out a piece of parchment to him and he took it to find a few sets of numbers on it.

"Use that account and draw out the amount you'll need for the ticket, if you need to draw out enough for Yahiko and Sano as well." She held up a hand to stop him when his mouth opened to protest. "The second line will tell the teller who gave you permission to take from the account and don't worry about repaying it. Consider it a gift for helping."

"Helping with what Tae-dono?" She laughed through the tears she was fighting, making her voice sound raspy and harsh.

"Why, for helping to bring back our little Kaoru silly rurounin."

"So do you think Jou-chan will appreciate us showing up at her door like this," asked Sano as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder while the small group of males waited for the train to arrive. Kenshin shook his head slightly with a sigh and looked to both of them. He hadn't told them what he heard and merely told them to pack lightly for a small trip to Yosaka.

"Most likely she won't, that she will not, but I have a bad feeling about this 'trip' of hers to see her uncle." Yahiko nodded and looked around them, his eyes showing he was watching for something. He was most likely watching for pickpockets to keep them from stealing the meager amount of money they had between the three of them. Battousai grinned proudly as they watched the boy. 'You should calm down, that you should,' his thoughts scolded the hitoriki as his pride with the boy climbed to new levels. _Why? The boy is becoming a man; he's learning to be wary of the dangers in the world._ 'There are no real dangers anymore, that there is not. The bakamatsu saw to that.' _Think what you will you fool._ With that Battousai settled down and left Kenshin be to think of how to explain their presence to Kaoru when they reached Yosaka.

The whistle of the train and Sano saying they could board never once made him leave his thoughts. Only after they were seated and the train pulled out of the station did he even notice his surroundings. He sighed and looked to his companions.

Yahiko was getting up and muttered something about boredom and Sano was for once sitting calmly in his seat and staring at him with a serious look.

"What is the matter Sano?"

"What did you find out from Tae for real?" the gangster's tone left no room for argument and he sighed. "Tell me Kenshin I have a right to know, she _is_ a kid sister to me." Kenshin glanced at him and took in his straight backed form and arms crossed over his chest in a foreboding manner.

"You will not like it, that you will not."

"I don't care. Tell me."

"I happened to hear from Tae-dono and Genzai that they were worried about Kaoru-dono. Apparently Kaoru-dono's uncle also sent Tae-dono a letter saying he would send for her if Kaoru-dono didn't cooperate with him. That he had summoned her for a purpose and that was to summon their guardian from hiding. Tae said that our Kaoru is the only one who can and that he is too afraid to even think of it himself." Sano whistled and looked out the window with a worried look that made his brown eyes darken slightly. Kenshin inwardly sighed; he knew that if he hadn't told Sano or someone soon, he'd have gone crazy. But it was better that Yahiko didn't know, he would have over reacted and right now they needed to stay calm.

"So basically Jo-chan walked into a trap set by her family, to protect themselves from something outside their numbers?" Kenshin nodded and looked back out the window to the land zipping by and sighed.

"She had seemed aggravated last night when I spoke with her about her uncle. She had said something about not trusting his motives, but that she did not have a choice but to answer. That she did not, it was a formal request made by him as the head of the family." Sano nodded. He may have been an orphan but he did understand the rolls of the various family members. After all Kaoru had formed this little family and she was the head of it in a way.

"So what's with the stuff sitting with yours? I've never seen it before." Sano asked indicating the extra sword and bag sitting with his things above their heads.

"It's Kaoru-dono's, Tae-dono thought she may need these." Again Sano nodded and instead of asking more questions, he closed his eyes and tried to relax. The gangster fell into a light slumber leaving Kenshin to his thoughts. _What will we do about Kage?_ 'Sessha does not know, Kaoru seemed to trust him deeply. Perhaps we shall let go of the past and make peace?' The snort from the hitoriki was what the rurounin had been expecting, but the sigh of agreement was not. _Perhaps you are right for once; the last thing I desire is to see our Koishii angry with us for something like that._ He paused and continued with anger in his voice. _Even if it is vengeance for the mockery he made of us, to see his blood run cold as we kill him._ Kenshin sighed and rubbed his temples as he turned his gaze to the window next to him.

The journey was full of questions that he knew would not be answered until he reached Kaoru. He desperately wanted to hold her close right now, to smell the gentle smell of sakura blossoms and spring rain, just to see her all right.

Looking out the window he realized it would be after sunrise before they could reach Yosaka. The roads were not safe to travel at night so they'd have to stay in Shiru for the night. He would need all the energy he could muster to deal with Kaoru when she's angry, and only the kami knew how mad she would be with him. His sight shifted from the window up to the bag that Tae had given him. Kenshin had questioned Tae packing a hakama and gi; wouldn't Kaoru have thought of that stuff before she left? What made Tae so certain that his beloved had forgotten them? Even Genzai's words puzzled him, '"She'll be different than what you're used to Himura-san. Don't cross her temper."' His Kaoru different, how could she be any different than normal? Maybe they were talking about the tension her family would create in her, shortening her temper even more than normal. He didn't know and right now he didn't care to, he only wanted to get to Shiru and then to Yosaka.

It was Yahiko's voice that finally dragged Kenshin to the surface of his thoughts and found the boy and ex-gangster staring at him. He asked them what was wrong and they said that his eyes were flashing gold every few minutes. 'Would you quit?' he yelled in his mind while telling his companions not to worry. _Well you seemed content to wander away, and leave us defenseless you fool. Someone had to do something_. Said the hitoriki rather calmly, despite the emotions that were bubbling at the surface due to his rival's interference in the life of his Kaoru. Kenshin sighed deeply as Yahiko told him that they were due to arrive in Shiru shortly. The conductor had been slightly afraid to near the trio upon seeing Kenshin's eyes flash gold.

"We will have to find a place to rest within Shiru for the night," Sano just leveled the shorter man with a questioning gaze and found that Yahiko would serve as his voice.

"Why the hell would we do that?"

"Because Yahiko, the road to Yosaka is not safe during the night hours, to anyone and we will need all the strength we can gather for tomorrow."

"Oh Busu won't be that much trouble, we'll just grab her and get home." Yahiko said so confidently that Kenshin wished he was the boy for a moment. Kenshin shook his head and stood as the conductor yelled off the stop from somewhere near by.

"I think it would be wise to rest, that I do." He said looking to Sano for support only to find the man shaking his head.

"I'm with the boy, 'sides what are the chances of three traveling males will find a place to rest? Three normal guys yeah, Kenshin, your carrying two swords and Yahiko's got his bokken and I'm a fighter by trade." Sadly Sano had a point that Kenshin had neglected to think of. _I guess we'll listen to the rooster this once_ grumbled the inner warrior as Kenshin sighed and nodded his head in agreement.

Once off the train the trio set off down the road to Yosaka with words of warning from the few townspeople that saw them walk by. They heeded the warnings and continued on their way with the little bit of sunlight left to the day. Kenshin figure they had actually made it a third of the way down the road before Yahiko got too tired to go any further. Kenshin and Sano would have preferred to keep walking at the point in the night that was. Yet Yahiko managed to convince them to rest for the night and pick it up at dawn. The boy was getting more and more clever in his years, perhaps it was due to too much time around Misao.

They found a small clearing ten or so feet from the road and dropped to the ground to rest, not wanting to waste time and energy on a fire. Yahiko fell asleep quickly leaving Sano and Kenshin to themselves.

"So, just what kind of things will we need to be ready for?" Sano asked quietly, Kenshin shrugged.

"Normal stuff I guess, last time I came through here it was during the Bakamatsu and this was Kage's territory so I merely passed through quick and quite."

"Kage's territory? Jo-chan's family home is in Kage's territory?" Sano looked at him shocked, "Why didn't you tell me that before?" Again the rurounin shrugged and looked over to where Yahiko lay.

"Kage and I were enemies and yet I held respect for him, the stories told of him were that he only fought within his region. But that was after the three years he had wandered and the killings had seemed random, but he always left his trademark so we knew it was him."

"What was the actual trademark?"

"Well it was simple really; he always castrated the men and left a slash through their bellies that resembled a check mark. None of us knew why, but I was one of the few to face him and live. Several of my fellows fell to his blade, but by the time I faced him I was nearing the time that I eventually left the fight." Kenshin became silent as a memory surfaced from that fight.

"So Battousai, what brings you to me?" the soft voice rumbled through the shadows of the forest. He closed his eyes and gripped his katana to be prepared; Kage was not called the Shadow Killer for nothing. "Oh you're no fun, you know my secret," the voice said coming from a point directly in front of him. Battousai opened his golden eyes to stare in to a pair of eyes to match his own. "Again I ask what brings you here." Kage was calm; almost bored in tone, if he wasn't here on orders he would have enjoyed bantering with a fellow of his kind.

"I am here to set you straight on the boundaries of the territories. You crossed and killed one of our leaders." Kage laughed deeply, an almost soothing sound, at least it would have been if his voice was a little higher and he was a woman.

"I killed a man who crossed me," the dead pan voice shocked Battousai as he heard a layer of anger within the words. The battle had been short and simple, both had been wounded. It was just before Kage disappeared that he spoke again. "I envied you, but now I see how foolish you truly are. You are nothing but a dog." A kunai flew at his face distracting him long enough and Kage was gone.

He had searched and searched through the forest, but he never found Kage again. When he reported in he said that Kage had escaped but was mortally wounded. That had satisfied everyone and the odd thing was Kage never resurfaced again. That was twelve maybe thirteen years ago.

Kenshin looked up and found Sano dozing, he decided to leave him be and let him rest. The gangster and boy would need the rest more than him; his body was too tensed to sleep. The old wise tales had never set well with him in the days of the war, and they bothered him even more.

Tales that said how easy it was for a man to go missing in the mist of the trees never to be seen or heard from again, many believed that it was due to Kage. Believed that he took the men and tortured them slowly till they died. There were also tales of witchcraft and mystics within the ancient grounds, ones of which made some of the strongest stomachs turn. Bodies being turn inside out, men skinned alive by nothing but the winds, and his "favorite" how the men's bones were broken to dust without a single external wound to show it.

Kenshin knew his senses were not quite what they used to be, but even back in the old days he had refused to chance any odd encounters. His companions were the only reason he didn't just keep walking, especially the boy; nay young man. Yahiko was growing up and fast, it was only a few short years ago Kaoru and he found and rescued him from that pathetic gang.

Kaoru's lessons, though she was never there to see it, were beginning to take effect on Yahiko. He was improving daily with his bokken and though it was against the law and his own beliefs, Kenshin itched to give him a real blade. The former hitoriki had come to see him as his own son, and was his right as the boy's surrogate father to do things such as that. The other thing that Kenshin noticed was that though Yahiko insulted Kaoru, it was only during her moments of depression or when she tried to separate herself from the group. He was always the one to distract her from her problems and bring her to the present moment, whether she liked it or not.

The sunlight was a welcome sight to Kenshin and Sano, of who had awoke a few hours short of sunrise. The ex-gangster had jumped at the sound of a twig snapping beneath Kenshin's pacing feet. The two had remained awake and watched over Yahiko and their few belongings. They grinned at each other and Kenshin stood swiftly saying they needed to get moving.

Yahiko fought Kenshin about getting up, but the mention of food had the boy ten feet ahead of the two yelling for them to move their lazy behinds. Sano laughed and Kenshin shook his head as they marched on. Kenshin could feel Battousai within his mind; _I guess the boy isn't as aware to his surroundings as I thought. _'Hai, but he is just a boy still, and it is safe enough now that he doesn't need to be.' Battousai was agreed and became silent once more, making the journey even more stressful to Kenshin.

"Wow," Yahiko's amazed gasp made Kenshin look up at the tall wall of stone looming before them. It was still about a half mile away, but Kenshin could see movement along the top of the wall and along the ground in front of it. "Is that Yosaka Kenshin?"

"Hai that was one of the only things that protected the town during the war that it was." Sano looked at him out of the corner of his eye with curiosity.

"And what were the others?"

"Hitoriki Kage." Sano stiffened slightly, and Yahiko turned around to look at them confused.

"Who is that?" Kenshin looked slightly shock at the boy's question but remembered where he grew up and Kage had all ready disappeared before he was born.

"Kage was known for his stealth more than anything. He was feared more than I was because you never knew he was there until his blade was upon you. At least that's how it started, but the last few years that he was in the war he restricted himself to this territory. I was sent here about twelve years ago to force him to the surface, only to find that he wanted nothing but to leave the war behind. It was thanks to him that I found myself wanting the same."

"You two fought?" Kenshin nodded, "Who won?"

"Neither of us, we called it a draw and went our separate ways," the boy seemed slightly disappointed but Sano chuckled and shook his head. "Now there is one thing you have to remember Yahiko, this is Kaoru-dono's family home. You have to treat her respectfully, so no calling her busu. This is still Kage's territory even though he's been missing for twelve years." Yahiko nodded solemnly as they neared the wall. The wooden doors had a simple design of a dragon at waiting, the crest of which Kage had bore during the war. The guards as Kenshin could now see were on alert; all were wearing armor and held their weapons at the ready. Two such guards stood in front of the gate doors themselves.

"Halt! State your business with the city herein," one guard commanded. Kenshin stepped forward from the group and kept his hand away from the blade.

"I am Himura Kenshin, an ally to Kamiya Kaoru, we were went by her companion Yukimura Tae to assist Kamiya-san in whatever way possible." The guards look skeptical about this and demanded proof that Tae had sent them. Kenshin reached in his gi and grabbed the kunai that Tae had handed him when they were at the train station. She had said nothing but smiled and walked away, now Kenshin knew why. It would have been impossible to explain with the other two present as they were. He showed the small dragon engraved blade to the guards, then showed them the bag that Tae had given him. Kenshin saw the guards' eyes widen and they yelled to open the gate.

"Now that's a response," mutter Sano behind him, Kenshin nodded as a young girl approached the guards. They whispered to her and she took off running down the crowded market road.

"Follow us," said the second guard gruffly to the trio once another pair of guards took their place. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Sano followed silently and watched as the market road cleared of the commotion. Silence fell which disturbed Kenshin, but not nearly as much as the sight of most of the men therein carrying swords. Even the women carried a weapon of some form.

The mansion at the end of the road startled the group with its size, 'that is her family house?' _Oro! I don't remember the Kamiya's being this well off._ 'Well no one ever really thought to check either.' Sano whistled softly and Yahiko's jaw dropped. At the top the stairs stood a woman, her dark brown hair was swept away from her face in a simple bun at the crown of her head. A simple pale green kimono with a darker green sakura petal pattern adorned her small frame. Her dark brown eyes stared down at the coldly, sending a chill through Kenshin's spine.

The young girl from the gate stood slightly behind the woman, peaking out at them. The woman tucked the girl behind her and whispered over her shoulder for her to go to her family. Quickly the girl ran off, taking a wide turn around the three males and down the stares back to the crowd.

"What business do you hold with me, Mr. Himura was it?" ice, that was the only way describe her tone.

"No," said Kenshin as he once more stepped forward to speak for the group, "We have business with Kaoru-dono. Tae-dono had sent us in her place to see to Kaoru-dono's safe return to Tokyo." If even possible the woman's glare became colder.

"Then perhaps you are no ally to not realize that Kamiya Kaoru stands before you now."

"That's impossible, Kaoru is darker in hair and skin, not to mention taller." Yahiko interrupted her with his angry outburst, for a moment Kenshin panicked thinking that they would never get near Kaoru. Yet the woman remained silent so Kenshin moved to make amends.

"Forgive the boy, but the Kaoru-dono we know is not you that we see. She is the fiery spirit that is the assistant master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu."

"She is also a sister to us; hell we've fought alongside Jo-chan to protect her dojo and this family for years now. So please don't try to fool us, just bring Kaoru out here." Said Sano as he too stepped forward to try and persuade the woman who claimed to be their Kaoru.

Instead of throwing them from her doorstep, she smiled warmly and nodded her head to the guard who turned and walk down the stairs. She turn toward the house and walked within its walls. Turn after turn, confusing Kenshin and the others until she stopped before a simple set of shoji doors. The servants bowed to her and opened the doors for her. She moved forward again and to the head of a long table, the table of the Kamiya family.

Near the head of which she sat, Kaoru, his precious Kaoru. She was preoccupied arguing with the man who sat at the head of the table.

"I told you, you are not ill so I am returning to Tokyo today. Besides I am confidant that Akio can handle this matter on his own." She was loosing her temper; Kenshin had to grabbed and gag Yahiko to keep him from blurting out anything. He could see the fire in her eyes, but he could also feel something in the air. It felt familiar somehow, he just couldn't remember how.

"And I told you that we need you. Would you willing let this city, which your grandfather built with his own hands, crumble to nothing?" The man raised his voice bringing silence to the table, desperation clear in the lines of his aging face.

The woman who had brought them here knelt between the two and whispered to them, she pointed to the door where they were currently standing. Kaoru's head snapped up with what looked like painful speed to stare at them wide eyed. The man merely looked confused and slightly angered. Kaoru stood and moved toward them, a smile no where in sight.

"Kenshin, what are you three doing here?" Instead of saying a word, Kenshin handed her the bag that Tae had given him. Her expression turned grave as she asked him what he knew.

"Tae merely said you may need these, and asked that we see to your safe return home." Kenshin said softly, causing uproar from the man at the head of the table.

"While we appreciate you bringing these things, Kaoru is home and will not be leaving."

"I will do what I please Shin, Tokyo is my home and Tae has every right to want to know I'm all right." She growled at him darkly, bringing out that odd feeling in Kenshin again. It reminded him of his days in the war; when another hitoriki was near by.

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Ok there is another chapter; I hope this was satisfactory for everyone. I'd like to get more than six reviews for the next chapter which I have finished and almost ready to post. 

I know I'm a little blunt and skip time a little, but this isn't going to be a very long story, I don't really have the attention span to do long stories. Remember though, review, review, review, and you'll get another chapter!


	3. Fate's Sealed

Here it is folks! I want to thank those who heard my request for reviews, it helps to make me a better writer in the end.

PAISITA, demi-godesswriter, LCES, Kiorru-dono, Reignashii, Angel of loneliness, echelon098, Linwe, saskia2

All though I didn't get the number of reviews I had hoped for I thought what the hell, nine is a good number. And hey its my lucky number, so here is another chapter for ya folks! Enjoy and remember to review!

"Speach"  
'thought'  
_Battousai

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Chapter Three: Fates Sealed

Everything moved so quickly that morning, she could barely keep track of everything. Akio had insisted that she spar with him before breakfast, then came breakfast. Her uncle Shin was trying to convince her to stay and fight. Kaoru remained firm telling him that she was going to be leaving whether he liked it or not, he kept refusing to hear her.

Ayame dropped between them and interrupted them to tell them she had company. Kaoru looked to the door where Ayame was pointing and she felt like someone had dumped ice water on her. No happiness filled her as it normally would with them near her, instead just dread filled her.

"Kenshin, what are you three doing here?" Kaoru rose and moved to them as Kenshin showed her the travel bag that she had left behind, and her sword. 'Damn it Tae! How could you do this to me?' Tae meant well, but by bringing these things to her, sealed her fate. Kaoru heard what Kenshin said and felt anger heat her blood with Shin's words. She told him off quickly and let her temper get the better of her for a moment.

Kaoru grabbed the bag and sword from Kenshin then dismissed herself, slamming the shoji closed behind her. She needed to get away from her family and now her companions. They would probably worry about her for a while, but she knew she couldn't be near them without lashing out at their questions.

Kenshin watch her leave and despite Battousai's demands to follow her, he remained. The woman who sat at the left side of the table smiled at him and stood. She introduced the people at the table and offered them some food. Yahiko and Sano readily agreed for him. The woman, who had brought them in, Ayame, was Kaoru's oldest cousin and had been raised to take Kaoru's place should she decide not to become the head of the Kamiya clan. She was the only remaining Kamiya youth, most of her brothers had been killed in the war and the others had died from illness over the years.

"Why would Busu become the head of the clan if she's younger than Ayame?" Kenshin sighed at Yahiko's words and rubbed his temples, Kaoru's uncle Akio was glaring at the boy. Ayame looked shocked but laughed softly.

"Because, Kaoru's father was the original head of the family, it was left in my father's care until Kaoru had come of age. Unfortunately we had lost her during the war, and believed her dead. Father took a chance and sent the letters to Tae-san to send her home if she was alive." Yahiko nodded in understanding and continued to eat silently after noticing Akio's glare.

After breakfast Ayame and her mother Saka showed them around the house, Akio grabbed Yahiko and said they would be in the dojo. Sano went with to make sure the boy didn't get beaten to a pulp.

"I'm sorry again for what Yahiko said of Kaoru-dono, that I am." Saka just laughed and Ayame smiled. She was pretty when she wasn't trying to intimidate people.

"Kaoru was always sensitive to her looks, but Akio had been extremely protective of her. Kaoru had come to him after her parents were killed, his wife and he had raised her until his wife and child were killed. After that night he would never let anyone speak a single word of ill toward the girl." Saka nodded and grinned at her daughter which seemed to make her grimace.

"Even family was not immune to his wrath, my dear Ayame here found herself at the receiving end of his temper a few times." Saka laughed at the blush on Ayame's face as she explained what happened. Kenshin felt himself worry for the boy, even with Sano there he feared Yahiko may have trouble remaining alive pass today. Saka must have seen his fear for she tried to reassure him. "Akio wouldn't kill him, Kami no, Akio believes in children being the only hope for tomorrow. But I have a feeling we will be short a person for dinner, Ayame remind me to make sure to have a tray of food sent to the room for the boy."

Once Ayame and Saka had finished showing him around they took him to the room he was to use. Then left him to his own devices, which consisted of finding Kaoru and trying to talk to her at least that was the plan. Only problem was she was hiding from him. Lunch had come to pass and she hadn't shown up, so he had retreated to the dojo to help keep Akio from severely hurting Yahiko.

* * *

The water rippled slightly against her skin as she passed the small brown bag from one hand to the other, her sapphire eyes distant and blank. Her pattern faltered and the ball fell to the ground outside of the spring. Looking over she found her cousin Ayame standing in a towel, her long brown hair pulled away from her face loosely in a bun. Ayame smiled at her and picked up the ball as she entered the spring and tossed it back to Kaoru.

"Still playing with that thing after all these years?" the alto tone reached her ears with a faint laugh. Kaoru scrunched her face and looked at the ball then Ayame. A laugh left her before she could stop it as she turned her gaze back to the distant wall.

"Old habits die hard I guess," she whispered and started the rhythm again. Ayame's sigh didn't disturb her this time as the slightly older girl spoke.

"I've heard you all have some little quirk that stuck from childhood. With you it was the bean bag, others have a top or some other little toy. Why is it?" Kaoru shrugged and held the bean ball in one hand when she turned her gaze to her cousin.

"Its soothing I guess, it takes my mind away from everything at hand and lets me breath. I have no clue about the others though; maybe they want to hold on to some piece of the days before they became what they are." Her voice was soft and full of shadows that she knew Ayame wouldn't understand. Kaoru started the pattern again as the two sat in silence, only putting the ball down to cleanse her self and then begin again.

"Do you miss the old days K-chan?"

"No, and don't call me that."

"It's the only name I can call you, I can't see you as you once were and I can't see you as the Kaoru you are now." A sound of disapproval left Kaoru's throat as Ayame turned to her again. "You can't deny what you're feeling, you know you're reverting and it won't take much more till you're here to protect us as you once were K-chan." With that Ayame stood from the waters and left. The unspoken suggestion struck Kaoru odd, did her cousin _mean_ for her to run, or was it a test. Kaoru sighed and actually looked at her hands that were busy passing the ball from one hand to another.

It slammed against one hand and slipped from her grip before her fingers could clinch it. 'Something's not right,' she thought as she hurriedly stood and wiped off as much water as she could before throwing on her yukata and running out the door to the main rooms. Sounds of metal clashing caught her ears and she followed it. A few bodies lay in her path that she jumped over, never once making a sound as she moved. 'A battle within my home? I think not,' was her only thought as she threw open the door to the back garden where the sounds were loudest. She threw the ball against the skull of an offending warrior that was attacking one of her family's soldiers.

A crunch sound followed as it struck his helmet against his temple and he fell to the ground. The solider looked up to see who saved him and gasped. She ignored him and flicked her wrist; a hidden string brought the ball back to her hand with stinging speed. Never once did she flinch as she did this repeatedly to several others and grabbed a sword from one of the bodies. The men she saved retreated from battle and helped the injured men of her home.

She held a defensive ground and kept the enemy from her allies, yet avoided killing one person. She held the last man conscious at the end of a blade from his own troops on the ground.

"Leave and tell your master the Kamiya are through playing his games." With that she withdrew the blade and dropped it on the ground as the solider stood and ran while he had the chance. A solider from her ranks approached her along with her uncle Akio. She refused to look at either of them, but stare at where the man had run to.

"Double the guards; bring any man or woman able to hold a sword to the lines. Bring the children to the shelter under the house and see to it there are guards there as well. I will not loose a single life, am I understood?"

"Yes sir," said the solider as he ran off, Kaoru bowed her head and titled it slightly so she still faced the same direction, but her ear was more focused on Akio.

"So _you_ have joined us," was all he said. She shook her head making him raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Not quite, and I have no intention to if I can help it. I took an oath twelve years ago and I plan to live by it."

"Even if it costs you your life," She chuckled at his question and turned to face him, specks of blood coating her pale face.

"I once asked a dear friend of mine that, his answer shocked me but made me feel better knowing I wasn't alone," with that she walked past him and past everyone that had gathered there to help out in anyway possible. Kenshin stared at her as she passed him, the faint flickers of gold barely registering in her mind as she tried to avoid his gaze and looked at the blood that covered various parts of her body. With a sigh, she dropped the ball with a deep thunk to the wooden panels and retreated to the spring again.

Kenshin moved to follow her, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned; ready to give the fool a piece of his mind when he came face to face with Akio.

"She's dealing with her past, leave her be. By morning she must decide what action this family will take. She is their commander now." With that Akio walked away, leaving the others to clean up the mess and retreat to his room.

Yahiko stooped down to pick up the ball and gasped when he struggle to picked it up. Kenshin turned to see what the problem was. Yahiko handed him the ball and he almost dropped it because he was unready for the weight. He then noticed the thin but strong cable that led to a ring of metal. Faint traces of blood covered the ball as he turned it over in his hand. It wasn't a bean bag like everyone had thought; it was filled with steel pebbles.

He passed it from hand to hand and found the same sound he had heard when she was tossing it about earlier in the day. It sounded like dried out beans, but weighed so much more.

"How was Kaoru able to throw that thing around?" Kenshin cast him a cursory glance and thought deeply on all the things he had begun to notice about his Kaoru. She was hiding something; the tired look she had given him went far beyond the exhaustion of day to day living. Her very soul was tired, but of what?

'So _you_ have joined us,' 'Not quite….an oath twelve years ago…' what had they meant by that? What happened twelve years ago? _Go find her, get her to give us answers_, his other half prodded yet again since they had arrived earlier that morning. 'No, I can't do that; Akio said she was dealing with her past. Something happened to her twelve years ago that we should not intrude upon.' Yet the more he stood there thinking about everything, the more tempting it became to hunt her down. _She might need our company, you never know…. _'I won't let you talk me into this, she obviously needs her space.' He felt Battousai sigh and prowl within his mind as he too left the battle field and retreated to his room that was connected to his beloved's.

A short time later he heard faint movement from her room alerting him to possible danger, he reacted with out thought. He drew his sword and threw the shoji door to the side. There sat Kaoru, her hair once more wet and hanging over her shoulder, her body wrapped in a black yukata and a towel pooled in her lap. She held no fear in her eyes as she looked at him; in fact she looked very bored, and tired.

"Yes Kenshin?" she whispered and ran her comb through her knotted hair, only to reach a particularly bad knot. She didn't wince as she pulled at it, but he did. He carefully grabbed her wrist and pulled the comb from her pliant fingers. She turned her back to him and bowed her head as he slipped his fingers into her long tresses. _Ask her,_ Battousai growled, 'No, something is wrong, that it is.' Battousai's growl became more pronounced as he continued to work the comb gently through the knots. Carefully pulling at the strands when he came to a really bad tangle within the mass of silky darkness. _Can't you feel it?_ Again Kenshin had the impression that his other half was on the prowl for prey.

The distinct aura of a hitoriki colored the air and had since before they arrived. Battousai had immediately begun chattering at the oddest of times about asking Kaoru something about it. _She knows, she's the head of the clan it is her duty to know who is here and who is not. _Kenshin would admit Battousai had a rather good point, Akio had said she was the commander now.

'I wonder if that is the oath she took twelve years ago,' his thoughts drifted off and he came to realize she would never have left if she had taken an oath to lead the clan. 'She'd have been raised similar to how Misao had been.' _That's right you fool, it has to do with Kage. That damned Bastard who always managed to stay out of my reach. Don't you remember how much of a fool he made of us?_

He turned his attention back to the woman who had so easily shown him her back. A woman raised in a war like she had been would know enough to never trust a man in her room like this unless he was her husband. A swordsman always knows enough to never bare their backs to another of the sword. It was common sense, she should know this. _She trusts us you fool, _Battousai said calmly.

"Kenshin?" her voice was meek, and sounded strained. He had hopes that she would tell him what was going on, and she seemed ready to but instead she sighed. "Never mind, it's nothing," and started to braid the hair the now hung over her shoulder. He had finished it at some point in his thoughts and now she was securing it.

The image of her splashed in blood made its way to the forefront of his mind. Her stance after the boy had run was that of a true warrior, his heart and blood had raced at the sight she had made. But when he saw her eyes, everything turned to ice. Her normally bright sapphire eyes that sparkled with life and an inner fire like none he had ever seen before; were dull and blank.

"Thank you Kenshin, you didn't have to help me," she whispered, a silent dismissal in her voice that he normally would abide by. _Not tonight, we are _going_ to get answers Baka, now ask her._ He sighed and adjusted his body to better hold his weight and stayed where he was. She looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes slightly narrowed.

"Kaoru-dono"

"Sama,"

"Oro?" his voice was filled with shock as his eyes widened.

"If you must use honorifics after everything we've been through, then use the proper term. I am the lady of the Kamiya clan." She said turning back to look out the window he just noticed above her bed. He nodded, that answered one question.

"Kaoru-sama," he grimaced, it didn't feel right but he would say it for he had asked for it in always using dono on her name. "Why is there so much tension in your family?" His words seemed to strike a nerve; her back tensed and became rigged. Yet she sighed and reached up to rub her temples lightly.

"My family is at war with another clan that has despised us for generations. It's more of a blood feud for something that happened between us before my great grandparents were even thought of. It's also something that none have ever given me the knowledge of." He narrowed his eyes; she had answered but avoided what he really meant.

"That is not what sessha meant, that it was not," She glared at him over her shoulder and stood to turn and face him. Her inner fire was still banked under something, but he could see the embers.

"Himura, I have been nothing but kind to you over the years you have lived with me, and asked nothing of you that you had not willing done. This is something that I will not abide to, and ask that you leave my room immediately." With that she turned on the ball of her foot and stare, more likely glare, at the wall in front of her. He sighed as he felt Battousai pushing against the restraints he held on his darker half_. Let me deal with her damn it! Let me out!_ 'No, she's obviously not going to answer us- _'Oh but she will, now let me out. _The calmness scared him more than anything, but he knew he was loosing. Kenshin himself was angry over her harsh dismissal himself. 'Harm even one hair on her and I will slit our belly before you can say mitsurugi.' _Agreed, now let me out._

Kaoru felt the air change with the presence of a killer being loose. She turned sharply and found herself pushed against the wall she had formally been glaring at. 'How dare he!' her mind shrieked as she turned her gaze up to the golden fire of Battousai. No fear coursed her veins, he wouldn't actually hurt her and she knew it.

"Release me Battousai," she ground out, he held her pinned by her shoulders, his legs pressed against hers to hold them from kicking him. He chuckled and shook his head; she held back a growl in her chest knowing he would only laugh again.

"I want answers my lady. I want to know why I can feel Kage so close and yet everyone tells me they have not seen him in over a decade. I want to know why it is that you are so angry at your kin. And I want to know now." His voice, like stone, left no room for argument. She felt herself caving to his whim when a piece of her old fire returned.

"You are not the protector of this family Battousai," she didn't like his grin; it was too catty for her tastes. He dipped his head next to her ear and throat and whispered.

"But I am yours," she shivered as his breath brushed her sensitive skin and cursed herself for a lack of restraint in his presence. He chuckled and leaned back to look her in the eye with his golden irises. "Or will you deny all the times I saved your life, all the times I could have left you for dead?" she turned her head away and bowed it in shame. 'If only, NO! I won't say it,' she thought and sighed as she relented slightly. "Now tell me what I want to know," he faintly growled and pushed her more firmly against the wall.

"My family desires me to summon Kage," she whispered.

"I am aware of this, but why?"

"I am the only person who knows where the warrior rests." He raised a brow, 'That's odd; last I heard Kage had disappeared off the Earth.' Thought Kenshin from the depths of their mind. _Yes it is odd, he did; but there is one possibility._

"How is this possible?" Kaoru's sigh had them both on edge and he leaned closer to her as she whispered. "Kage and I are bonded." He pushed himself away from her and prowled her room as she collapsed to the floor on her knees.

"You—Kage? How could you do that? I thought you were still a maiden of virtue! How could I fall for the same trick twice in my life?" he growled out loud as he paced, her head jerked up at his words, and she instinctively spoke to protect her honor.

"It's a little hard to not be a maiden when the one I'm bonded to is a wo," her words were cut from her throat by a knock on her door.

"Kaoru dear, your uncle wishes to see you immediately." It was her aunt Saka; she glared at Battousai and signaled for him to follow her. He refused and she spoke up to her aunt through the door.

"Tell him I will be slightly delayed, Himura and I are speaking on important matters that need to be dealt with." The rustling of fabric was all either heard as her aunt rushed off to tell her husband. "I will say this only once, and then you will leave me be until I summon you am I understood?" He showed no reaction so she took a deep breath to calm herself. "Kage walks this world as you and Kenshin have for most of your lives." With those crisp words she left him with his eyes glaring at her back.

"You desired to see me uncle?" Her clipped voice echoed slightly in the almost abandoned room. He turned to face her from his sitting position and grinned slightly, if only weakly and nodded. He motioned for her to sit before him at the tea tray that was set up. She obeyed and rested on her knees, her black yukata slipping from her firm thighs. Neither of them noticed this as they stared in each other's eyes.

"You almost summoned her tonight," were his simple words as he sipped his tea and looked at her over the rim of the cup. Kaoru's spine was rigged as she glared at him, suddenly regretting saving her own home.

"This is my home; I will not have it destroyed by lowly soldiers who desire a taste of battle." She carefully lifted her cup and sipped it without looking at him.

"I see, so you will continue to deny that you walk the knife's edge," he stated with a sigh of exhaustion. "Why must you be so stubborn?" Her eyes flashed at him as she opened them to glare at him over her cup.

"I _am_ my mother's daughter, and I swore,"

"To never be anyone's lap dog like Battousai had. It is a story told many times, but I feel that it more of you're mother's heritage then anything else.

"I would watch myself if I were you Shin, I may not have my sword now, but I will not hesitate to remind you why I was feared as I was." He grinned and she knew she had walked into a verbal trap.

"Now there's the Kaoru I remember," he chuckled as she muttered darkly and shook his head. "Youth and vitality, what I wouldn't give to have it once again." He trailed off, his gaze drifted to the open shoji.

"Yes I could see you desiring that, only to sire more children." She paused to know she had his attention, he glared slightly at her. "Come now uncle you had to have seen it coming, I know you are not a fighter by any means of soul. You love family and having children more than any woman I have ever known."

"And you will stop now, for until the day you declare to this entire city that you are its lady, I am still the lord here and the head of this family. You will show respect to me," he actually full on glared at her.

"But I have," she whispered and rose to her feet with a smooth grace of a feline. He eyed her cautiously. "Earlier tonight, I took command of this household and this city. They know who I am and know to obey me. Good night uncle, tomorrow will be a long day for me and I need some rest."

"I understand Battousai was in your room speaking to you just before you came here. What did he desire to know?"

"That is of no concern of yours uncle."

"That is where you are wrong, and you know why."

"He asked me about Kage," Kaoru spoke timidly with her back turned to one of her only remaining blood relatives.

"And?"

"I told him that she walks this earth as he and Kenshin have for decades."

"But you did not tell him,"

"No." she cut Shin off before he could finish.

"I see then, you know you will eventually need to tell him. A man like himself will notice the differences between you and Ayame."

* * *

Kaoru opened her eyes to the rising sun and sighed softly. Today she would stand before the city and take her place as the head of her family. In the back of her mind she could feel the bounce of her emotions as her thoughts flew from one subject to another. 'I don't have much of a choice left, if I don't summon Kage we'll loose the battle and my family will die' Kaoru's gaze fell on her father's sword and travel bag, knowing Tae the woman had packed everything including the black bindings.

She unraveled the silk and pulled the blade from its scabbard, the soft hiss of the blade sliding free a soothing sound to her nerves. Kaoru sighed deeply and dressed in her normal hakama and gi before walking out to the dojo and past it. A man was busy chopping wood and didn't hear her approach.

"I'll finish that for you Kan, go see to your family. We will be releasing everyone once the guards are finished with their patrol." The man jumped and turned to find the lady of the city before him with a sword in hand. He bowed and left her to do as she pleased in favor of not facing her wrath.

Her blade sliced cleanly through the log, the impact and removal of the blade forcing it to slide into two pieces. The heavy sound of the pieces impacting against the dirt ground brought the wielder of the blade to her senses. A quick twist and lifting of the arm, and the blade rested against the throat of the to be speaker. Ebony hair hung in loose pieces around his sharp features and wood brown eyes that were just as sharp.

"Your senses are sharpening, I'm proud," the masculine voice was low in timber, almost crooning but strong.

"Leave," her unused voice whispered through full red lips. The man chuckled and grinned slightly at the swordsman.

"No, you need to come to terms with this choice."

"Your presence will not help it Akio."

"But you are wrong young Kage." He said softly as he stared into sapphire eyes with irises of gold that any man could be lost in. They now stared at him filled with anger and contempt, but burning deep within those rare orbs was the pure love of kin and soul.

"You are no longer my master. Now leave,"

"True, but you are my niece." The blade left his neck slowly as the gold darkened into black and a soft sigh passed Kage's lips.

"I sometimes hate that fact, what does Shin want of me now?" Akio grin deepened as she turned and slammed the blade into the ground several inches to reach for the fallen wood. "Do not test my patience Akio, I have little these days." He simply chuckled but his grin fell from his face.

"He says that a message arrived for our guardian and our mistress. A letter of conference," she snorted in an unladylike fashion as she set the wooden pieces on the growing pile.

"Tell him to reply with a negative, I will not place any lives in danger ever again." Akio's silence made her look up at him. His eyes were downcast and he sighed deeply. She reacted quickly and slammed into him, knocking them both to the ground as she grabbed his collar tightly. "What the hell did he do now!" her voice growled in an octave lower than normal. Akio looked in her eyes and trembled, her eyes were pure gold and the irises a deep sapphire. Shin was in deep shit with her now and he knew it.

"He all ready replied saying yes," Akio tensed his body as he felt her use his chest as a spring board and start to run back to the main house. He sat up and stared at where the sword sat only moments ago, now only to find the ground ripped and dirt tossed.

"Shin you ass I told you that you shouldn't have done that." He winced as he stood and put weight on his now sore left leg. The same leg he almost lost in the Bakamatsu and reached for the ax that she hadn't used to chop the wood she'd been venting on. "Now you'll know what it is like to face her temper my friend, for none will save you this time." His voice raised in volume as he lifted and dropped the ax into the wood.

Shin sat with his wife and Kaoru's companions at the dinning table for lunch. Together they ate in silence, but Kenshin wondered where the rest of the family had disappeared to after Shin sent out that letter. He soon received his answer when the shoji was slammed open and there stood a figure baring a sword dressed in white hakama and a yellow gi. Sapphire eyes blazed around the room before landing on Shin who sat calmly at the head of the table.

"You Bastard!" She yelled and threw the sword toward the former head of the Kamiya clan. It missed only just barely and dug itself into the wooden pole next to his head. "I should kill you for what you've done, regardless of our blood ties." She walked over to him and pulled him up to stand face to face with her.

"This is what you desired was it not Kage?" Shin whispered so only she could hear him. Kenshin heard the faint growl from her throat as she shoved him away from herself.

"Do you really desire to relive thirteen years ago you idiot. Thanks to your foolishness we are now sentenced to our death!" all but Shin and his wife gasped. Kenshin rose to his feet and glared at shin.

"Does she speak the truth?" Shin quickly looked at Kenshin and finally the fear set in as he realized no one was going to save him this time. He nodded sharply and backed away from Kaoru further as she ripped her sword from the wood splinters flying with it.

"You _should_ be afraid you fool. Akio is in the woods finishing my work and the others know what you did. No one, not even Saka will stand in your defense." Shin looked to his wife who sat demurely at the table still eating. The blade now rested lightly against his throat, and he stared into bright golden eyes with fear. It was Kage followed him, step for step, the blade never leaving his neck. "If you thought that I was dangerous during the Bakamatsu dear uncle, you are sadly mistaken. I am paying for too many of your mistakes." Quickly and without hesitation the blade slid across his throat, "Consider that a warning," She turned sharply, knowing that her former companion's eyes were following her every move as her uncle checked the cut on his neck that had barely missed the vital vein of his life. She kept walking until she stood before the doors of the hot spring her family had built.

The smell of fear, sweat, and blood was making her nauseous as she stripped off her clothes and bindings. Her body soaked in the hot water as she grabbed her blade and bindings to clean off the blood.

"May I join you cousin?" Ayame soft voice wavered from outside of the doors. Kaoru sighed and fought for her control until she was calm.

"Yes Ayame, I need to speak with you any ways." The sounds of rustling fabric and sloshing of water was short as Ayame joined her in the water. "I guess you know of your father's actions?" she looked at the woman across from her and watched the fear flee from her cousin's eyes as she nodded. "Then you know what we must do?" again Ayame nodded, but this time with anger. "What angers you cousin?"

"He promised that we would never have to do this again after what happened last time." Kaoru sighed at Ayame's careless words that brought back unwanted memories. "You were so badly injured that night and they used that to their advantage to hurt the rest of us. Had uncle Akio not been there you would have died" the despair that lined Ayame's voice made Kaoru look at her curiously.

"You were closer to death than I was Ayame. Had I not screamed your true name they'd have killed you thinking you were me." Ayame nodded and began to bathe herself as Kaoru finished cleaning her blade. "Cousin, I don't want to kill again," Kaoru whispered and sunk lower into the water's warmth. Ayame stared at her with confusion.

"Kaoru, I can't tell you to kill, never could have. You know that the choice is yours, but I will remind you of this," Ayame waited until Kaoru was looking her in the eye. "You are more than this family's guardian and lady. You are a _member_ of this family." Kaoru smiled at her cousin and reached over to hug the woman.

"Did you learn when they will be arriving?" Ayame nodded and stated it would be two weeks. Kaoru sighed and leaned against the edge of the spring, eyes closed in thought. "You and I will spend the next two weeks, day and night, in the dojo."

"Why cousin?"

"I am going to need your help being a lady, and you will need a few basic lessons with the sword." Ayame gave her a questioning glance, "I will play my part, both of them." Ayame opened her mouth to protest and Kaoru raised a hand to silence her, "No cousin, I will never place your life in danger like that again. Beside it is the last thing they will be expecting." Ayame sighed and finished bathing, the two women sat in silence until the sun began to set meaning dinner was about to be served.

They rose from the water and Ayame brought Kaoru to her room and helped her younger cousin dress in a proper kimono of her station. Kaoru refused the face powder saying she'd rather eat then spend the night trying not to sneeze. Ayame laughed and agreed to having done that many times. So she pulled the dampened tresses back in an elaborate bun, using a special pair of sticks that had been given to her by Kaoru's own mother. Once satisfied with Kaoru's appearance she dressed herself quickly and they proceeded to the dinning room.

"Man where are they, I'm starving," whined Yahiko quietly, Akio had drilled him for yet again calling Kaoru busu. Saying that he needed to show respect for the head of the family whose house he was currently residing. Akio once again sent him a sharp glance and the boy covered his mouth. A bell like laugh caught the table's attention; they all looked up to the door and found Kaoru and Ayame. Kaoru was laughing, holding her sleeve covered hand over her mouth. The black kimono was accented by green leaf designs and a blood red dragon rested its head on her left shoulder while its tail seemed to be the red stitched black obi around her waist. Her midnight tresses were pulled back loosely into a bun of loops and turns, with a pair of sticks holding it in place, the jade gems twinkling in the light of the room.

"I see uncle Akio as taught you to mind your place hasn't he Yahiko?" Ayame laughed as well and the two women moved to the head of the table. Shin sat at there staring at his daughter and niece as they approached, Kaoru's face lost all mirth and he realized what she was doing. "Uncle," she whispered menacingly and stared him down, he sighed and looked to Akio of who refused to stand in his defense. He rose from his place that he had coveted for most of the life of the young woman before him. "Arigato," she said icily and sat down, Ayame sat in the open seat at her right. Saka sat where she had rightfully sat for years and began to rise. Only to be stopped by the shake of Kaoru's head, "I wish you to remain aunt Saka."

Saka smiled and shook her head, "It is no longer my place my lady. My place is by my husband, no matter his place in this family." Kaoru sighed and did not stop her again as she rose to move next to her husband, leaving the seat to her left open. She refused to call anyone to the seat and instead called the servants to bring dinner. The silence of the table scratched at her nerves, it was mainly because her companions still didn't understand everything, and one seemed angry with her. She needn't guess for when her gaze lifted her eyes met the gold speckled violet of Kenshin's stare.

When dinner finished the children gladly left the table when excused, even they could feel the tension in the air. The adults remained in silence until Akio spoke up.

"Well I will be retiring to the study, if anyone wishes to speak with me." Shin said he wished to walk in the gardens and asked Saka to join him to which she agreed. Leaving Kaoru, Ayame, Sano, and Kenshin at the table in silence to which Sano could no longer take.

"Okay, Jo-chan I think its time for explanations. You've been avoiding us since we showed up." Kaoru sighed and reached for the cup of sake before her, "Come on imouto, don't we deserve answers?" She dropped the saucer and cursed softly as she stood brushing the spilled alcohol from the kimono. She looked apologetically to Ayame who smiled and shrugged it off.

"Very well, come with me, all of you," she said and turned from the room and exited to the walk way outside. When she finally stopped she was sliding the door to a large room open, they all walked past her and she would not lift her gaze even when Kenshin stopped at her side to stare at her. She slid the door closed and adjusted the obi somewhat difficultly till it fell from her body.

"Feel better cousin?" Ayame laughed and helped her remove the outer layers as Sano and Kenshin turned their backs causing the girls to laugh. "It is okay Kenshin-san, Sano-san; she's wearing other clothing under the kimono." They turned back and sure enough Kaoru wore a light weight red kimono. "Sit please," Ayame motioned the pillows in the corner, a set of tea and sake all ready set for them.

* * *

I think that was a decent cut to the chapter, I have a lot of kinks to work out of the conversation that they have in the next chapter. In other words it may be a while before I can get it posted. And I'd just like to mention that this chapter is 14 pages long in my word processor. 

Kenshin still hasn't figured out that Kaoru is Kage, he has a feeling but the lack of visual proof has him stumbling. Just what will be said, and how will it affect Kenshin and the gang? What do the next two weeks have in store for the Kaoru and Ayame?


	4. Memories Unlock

Well, here is the part you folks won't like hearing, I can't update for a while. I got dumped on by a pile of class work :whimpers: its not fair! I work hard in classes and yet this shit keeps happening...Oh well, I want to thank everyone again for reviewing, it makes me feel good to see them.

Any who, you all know the drill now on talking and thinking in this thing so I'll leave that out. Have fun reading!

* * *

Chapter Four: Memories Unlock

"I had a feeling this could not be avoided forever," Kaoru spoke softly at their questioning looks. Once they were settled down and she had her own bottle of sake she asked what they wanted to know.

"Well I mainly wanna know why you've been avoiding us Jo," said Sano with a gulp of sake. He was as calm as Ayame who sat beside her sipping the cup of tea she had opted for. Kaoru grinned and sipped at the sake in her hand. The fiery burn in her throat a welcome feeling at the moment as it slipped down calming her frayed nerves.

"Well, to be honest these last two days have not been good. I had things that needed tending to," she paused with a sigh. "Then came that damned fight, I sealed my fate by protecting this house yesterday."

"What do you mean?" asked Kenshin, Kaoru almost winced at the sharp tone in his voice. He was fighting with his inner demons, trying to not let him loose but still wanting answers.

"Well I have no choice now, my uncle Shin is not capable of caring for this family. Never had been, that's why my father had been the lord of the family." Sano and Kenshin shared an understanding look, Sano decided to ask about Akio.

"Why didn't Akio take control?" Ayame was the one to speak as Kaoru took a large gulp of sake.

"He is not a Kamiya by blood. He married our aunt." Silence fell over the group as they drank their select beverages. Kenshin stared at Kaoru, his thoughts drifting to things that had come to pass in the last two days in Yosaka. 'She said that Kage and she were bonded' _Hai, she also said that Kage walks this Earth as I do. So is it possible that the meek little woman before us carries a killer within her? **'No,'**_ Battousai laughed and mentioned this was the first time in years that they had agreed on anything. 'It is interesting that we would agree about Kaoru like this. Yet I feel the need to not trust her as we used to.' Kenshin could feel his alter ego agree with him once again. It felt odd but she had shown her ability to lie to them so easily. _She can't avoid it now, so ask her again, maybe Ayame knows something about this whole mess._

"Where is he, where is Kage?" Kaoru choked on her drink and spit out what was left in her mouth.

"What?" she coughed and wheezed, Ayame pat her on the back with a look of concern which shifted quickly to anger when her eyes fell on Kenshin.

"Where is Kage," he said again, spacing out the words with determination in his voice. Ayame glared at him and he could see her thoughts in her eyes as they slipped between him and the pot of hot tea at her knees. "I wouldn't do that if I were you Ayame, I'm in no mood for games tonight." He turned his attention back to Kaoru who simply sat there looking away from him at a near by wall.

"I told you Himura, it is of no concern to you the where bouts of Kage. Now if you continue down this road I will have you escorted out of Yosaka and forbidden to return." Kaoru said coldly as she turned her sapphire eyes back on him, all life and energy gone.

"Whoa Jo-chan, calm down he's just worried about you, we all are. That's why we came here." Exclaimed Sano as he dragged her frozen eyes to him. "Honestly, Kenshin had a bad feeling and Tae confirmed it asking us to bring you home in one piece." Kaoru seemed to consider this as her eyes slid closed and sighed deeply.

"I'm sorry guys, but this is one I can't afford to mess up on. I have a feeling the reason Shin wants me to summon Kage has something to do with the grudge match that she made worse during the war." Kaoru rubbed her temples at the headache she could feel behind her eyes. Ayame turned her brown eyes on her cousin with concern and gently kneaded the tension in Kaoru's shoulders. "Arigato cousin," Sano and Kenshin looked at her with confusion in their eyes.

"She? Kage is a man; a woman isn't capable of killing like he was." Kenshin said firmly, he knew what he saw all those years ago. _Kage had to be a man, there is no way humanly possible for me to have taken such a beating from a woman._ Battousai growled from the depths of the rurounin's mind.

"Please don't make me do this," whined Kaoru as she slumped into her cousin's side almost like she was trying to hide from them

"Kaoru, I saw him, I fought him." Kenshin said softer, as much as he didn't want to trust her; her distress on this subject seemed genuine. Her soft growl and Ayame's glare made him rethink their innocence on the matter of the Shadow Killer.

"And I grew up with her, so did Ayame. Hell she was raised and trained by Akio; I nursed her wounds during the war. Held her when she was one the brink of death; I know Kage." Kaoru growled out, anger getting the better of her mind. Ayame gripped her arm tightly bringing her to her senses quickly. She took a deep breath and puffed it out quickly, "Ask anyone in this mansion if you don't trust me any longer." Sano's eye's widened in disbelieve as he turned to Kenshin.

"You don't trust her?" Kenshin's own eyes flashed golden in warning to Sano. "You can't be serious here. She our little missy!" the former gangster turned his eyes to Kaoru who was staring at him solidly. "I can't believe you two, for years you pine for each other and then this one little thing from your pasts and you don't trust each other any more?" He stood swiftly and moved to leave the room, anger radiating from his tense frame. "Be stupid all you want, I'm here to protect my little sister whether you guys like it or not so that's what I'm going to do." He turned back and snatched a bottle of sake before storming out saying he needed to kill a headache somehow.

"He's right you two, this _is_ ridiculous." Sighed Ayame as she shook her head, "Kenshin, do you remember what you told me when you showed up her yesterday morning?" he nodded not sure where this was heading. "Then how is it that in less than a day you've forgotten everything that has happened to make you see and know what you told me?" Ayame turned back to Kaoru and hugged her saying goodnight. "Tomorrow we will begin your training as a lady, so rest well tonight." She said goodnight to Kenshin and made a calm retreat from the room.

Kaoru watched her cousin's retreating back thinking to herself, 'I can't believe that he doesn't trust me.' She sighed to herself and shook her head, 'It's my fault I never should have listened to that letter. If I had just left things alone and made them think I was dead then I could have kept my simple life with Kenshin. I could have died a peaceful life and he would never have known I was a hitoriki. Now he'll find out and he will completely shun me.' She could feel the tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she quickly rose from her spot and said goodnight before making a hasty retreat to her room, crying herself to sleep.

* * *

'Ayame had been right when she said to rest,' Kaoru thought as she panted from the lack of air to her lungs. "Ayame-chan, is this garb really necessary this early?" Ayame laughed softly and nodded. After last night both women had been strained, and her dear cousin had been merciless about this training. It was only the first day for kami's sake! 

"Your posture needs a little work, so it's easiest to work on it from the beginning. Besides I think it suits you cousin." Ayame said with a small smiled, as she turned to her mother to double check that everything was in order. Saka nodded, she had agreed to help the girls knowing how Kaoru felt about the oncoming encounter. The day past by smoothly other than the few times the Yahiko had barged in, and despite the eyes that they could all feel watching them. They knew it was Kenshin and at times Sano, Ayame had mentioned that they could close the doors and then he wouldn't be able to watch. Yet Kaoru said to keep them open.

If he had thought her capable of deceit then he could watch her every move and see for himself that she was honest. After all she had no intention of loosing her temper and releasing Kage despite the tension she could feel deep within her soul. The longing for freedom and a good challenge, one that only Battousai could satisfy. So the days passed as such and after supper every night Kaoru would be freed from her confining kimonos and would teach Ayame a few simple things with the sword. The lady of the Kamiya family went so far as to convince Akio to teach her a few of the things he had taught to Kaoru as a child before her parents died.

"Come at me again cousin," she said firmly as Ayame stood from yet another trip to the floor. "You should know this stuff by now, it's been almost two weeks and yet I'm still throwing you down," Ayame glared at her. It looked like she was about to move in anger, but she stopped and rethought her move making Kaoru grin in her mind.

This time Ayame came at her quickly, but then feinted to the left and if Kaoru hadn't known the trick she'd have been caught as her cousin shift back to the left and fully attacked. Kaoru barely moved out of the way of the dagger she had given Ayame after the first week of training. Ayame kept up with her and continued to attack, finally Kaoru had to flip over her cousin and drop into a more defensive form.

"Enough!" Barked out the deep timber of their uncle, only they didn't listen to him. Akio sighed as his shoulders slumped and he leaned against the door frame. Ayame would never be able to kill Kaoru, but she would definitely but a dent in Kaoru's plans if she ever fully connected with her. "If you two don't quit, I'll get involved and then we'll have to change our plans for the meeting 'cause neither of you will be there." He barely finished and he heard a sharp whistle that meant a weapon was being thrown at his person. Akio dodged and drew his sword, holding it at the ready as he looked to his two nieces who stood staring at him. Kaoru had thrown the dagger she held, by the look in her eyes she was fighting for control; again.

"Thank you uncle," panted Ayame as she tried to catch her breath, "K-chan I think it's time to quit for the night." Kaoru shook her head saying no, she needed to run. "Don't go to far cousin, he may not watch you any more but he can still sense you." Kaoru nodded and disappeared from sight, lost to the darkness of night. She turned worried eyes to her uncle as he sighed and sheathed his katana.

"I keep asking myself how much more before she snaps. She's been walking the edge since the attack, that Kenshin fellow isn't helping matters any." He muttered darkly and looked out the open door to the grounds around the Kamiya mansion. Akio turned his eyes to look at his older niece questioningly.

"She loves him uncle, I see the hurt in her eyes when she looks at him, the longing. The fact that he said he doesn't trust her is killing her. That's why it's become such a battle for control in her mind." Ayame said as she looked to the mansion where the windows were lit by candle light. "I fear the day of they will be here to talk, she will have no way out, any way to run from her demons then." Akio nodded, he shared Ayame's fears.

"We can only hope niece, your father avoiding her has helped, but she's still angry with him for placing the family in danger; for forcing her to make this decision twice in her life." Ayame nodded, her eyes flashing with anger. They both knew that if her father Shin had called conference of kin when the letter arrived, then Kaoru would never have agreed to this and the battle could have been held without her. Akio sighed and moved toward the main house, "I'm going to bed, if you should see her before you retire, tell her I will speak with her in the morning." Ayame said she would and he disappeared into the house.

"Kaoru, please come back soon," She whispered to the winds as she too moved to the main house and toward the bathhouse. A long dip in the hot spring would help her sore body and frayed nerves. She stopped a servant and requested a bottle of sake, she would be so grateful when this whole nightmare was over.

* * *

Winds whistled in her ears as she ran, bouncing from toe to toe, branch to branch. Freedom, her soul sang. She yearned for it, but deep inside knew she could never feel it again. Her speed slowed as she neared the clearing she sought, dropped to the ground and walked slowly into the clearing. Grave stones, they littered the ground from every corner of the clearing to the next. She moved to her left gripping the sword that rested at her hip, she had grabbed it from her room before coming here. 

Coming to a halt under a huge oak she knelt and bowed her head to the two stones that rested under its boughs. She took a shaky breath and looked to the writing engraved therein:.

Here rests beloved father and brave leader, Kamiya Ryuko  
Beloved mother and lady may you rest in peace, Kamiya Kanga

Tears fell from her sapphire and gold eyes as she gazed at the grave markers for her parents. Her soul angered as memories surfaced unwanted.

:>Memories :>

"Anata, she's a child," whispered a woman's voice from behind the father and daughter. They turned and found a medium height and built woman in a pale pink kimono and white obi. A loving smile on her sun kissed heart shaped face.

"But mommy, I want to be just like daddy," said the young girl as she stood from the attack her father had been trying to teach her. Her mother's gentle laugh soothed her from the small kernel of anger in her heart. Even her father smiled a twinkle in his dark sapphire eyes as he looked between his wife and daughter. She was never sure whether it was pride or love, or perhaps both as he gazed at the women he held dear in his heart.

"But Kaoru, you are a girl sweetie, you are to be a lady like mommy; don't you want to be like mommy?" This was a usual conversation and as usual the little girl smiled, showing her missing tooth to the right of her front teeth.

"I'll be both," she exclaimed happily and ran to hug her mother causing the older woman to laugh and lift her up on to her strong hips.

"Yes you will," she whispered as Kaoru's father wrapped both of them in his arms. "You will be the greatest Kamiya to live my child." Ryuko nodded with his wife and brushed a few stray hairs from Kaoru's face.

"Hai, we will raise you with a strong heart, courage of the greatest swordsman, and grace of an angel. You are our daughter, now and until the end of time." Kaoru laughed and wrapped her arms around her dad's neck as he pulled her from her mother's arms and lifted her high into the air. Her mother smiled and laughed at her husband's antics.

: :>:>

"Mommy!" screamed little Kaoru as the fire swarmed into her room. "Daddy!" she yelled again, she could hear them crying for her, they were telling her to run. She couldn't understand why, she broke through the shoji door of her room before the fire completely took it and ran toward her parents' voices. Kaoru yelled again for them but this time they were to busy to warn her, she flew through the open door to the back yard where the dojo stood.

Kaoru could feel everything in her freeze, there laid her mother crying and screamed as a man lay on top of her. Looking away she found her father fighting against five men with his sword, but she could see he was loosing. He had lost too much blood; he managed to push them away and saw Kaoru stand there. She saw his heart break, yet a new fire lit his dark eyes as they renewed their attack on the lord of the house.

Quickly Kaoru ran into the dojo, but one of the men saw her and followed her. She barely dodged his hands and grabbed the sword that rested on the lowest rung just for her. Turning quicker than she knew she could her blade met his side and she pushed with everything her little frame held. His gurgled cry ended as her blade past through the resistance and clean through his body.

Kaoru ran out of the dojo as darkness fell over her vision, she could feel every move but heard nothing, saw nothing. Rain pelted her body as all sound slowly returned to her senses. She stood still panting from the sheer exhaustion her small body felt at that moment. Slowly she opened her eyes that she didn't know she had closed and gazed at the body that rested at her feet.

It was the man who had been hurting her mother. A soft rustle of fabric to her right, blade at the ready, she found her mother and father lying near one another. Kaoru dropped her sword and ran to them, tears in her eyes.

"Mommy, Daddy, please get up please!" she begged as she dropped to her knees and crawled to them. Their chests barely rose and fell with gasping breaths, "Please get up, I promise I'll be a good girl just please get up." They smiled at her gently and her father shook her tired head.

"Sweet heart," Ryuko gasped and winced as he moved closer, "Go…to my… sister."

"But daddy, why you'll be okay, you just need some rest," now it was her mother's turn to shake her head.

"Our time is over Kaoru," Kanga whispered and coughed harshly bringing past her lips. "Be strong…we'll always…be with…you," she panted and used her good hand to grab a delicate chain from her neck and handed it to her daughter. "Never…forget… who you…are." The last of her mother's life fled her eyes and her raspy breaths fell silent.

"Remember…" her father coughed, "what we ta-taught you." Kaoru heard nothing but silence as her father fell to the ground, a bloody mess. She felt something in her snap, something deep within her heart died with her parents. Her small fist tightened around the necklace her mother had handed her.

Standing swiftly, she felt nothing, everything was cold in her as she grabbed the sword she had dropped and looked to her parents again. Her father's sword, she grabbed it and undid the buckle to the belt that her father had crafted. With a few solid tugs worth all of her body weight it came loose from her father's body. She strapped it to her back and began walking away. People had come running, including friends of her family but they all avoided her. Only a little girl and a man came to her side.

"Aunt Yuki," she whispered as she looked them in the eye. The man drew the other little girl close to his side and pointed away from the town, pointed westward.

"Kaoru!" yelled the little girl.

"Shush Tae, she can't hear you," said the man harshly.

"But Genzai-san, she's like a sister, I can't let her go." She was crying, sobbing for the man to let her go.

"You have to," he said finally and pulled her away from the path little Kaoru had taken and away from the dangers that may have still lurked near by.

:>End :>

Tears fell from her closed eyes as the memories finally left her tortured mind; she was resting on her knees bent over crying into the dirt.

"It's not fair," she whispered harshly, her voice cracking with emotions. "It's not fair," she said louder as a clap of thunder rolled above her head. She screamed her words into the night as the rain fell, cloaking her tears just as it had that day. Her face was pointing to the sky as it washed away any trace of her pain from her face.

Everything she had loved was ripped from her then by the secret of her blood as it was now. The only man she had dared to love would hate her for what she was; he would hunt her just like he had during the war. Slowly she rose to her feet, bowed to the graves and turned. Yet she stopped and turned back, she kissed the tips of two fingers from both of her hands and brushed them over the cold stones.

"I miss you both so much," she whispered and finally left the way she had come. She was in no hurry, the rain had always made her afraid but tonight she welcomed it. Her steps though slow at first were more certain, and stronger then they had been in years.

The rain slowed to a mere drizzle and not long after lights were dancing in the near distance, she was close to home. Only Ayame would still be awake at this hour. Sure enough the doors to the back yard stood open, a young woman wrapped in a yukata and robe stood there with a candle lantern. Worry etched into every inch of her young face making her look that much older.

"You shouldn't worry so much Aya-chan, it adds twenty years to your face," she jested with a light chuckle. Ayame's worried face turned to a glare then softened to a smile. A smile so much like her deceased mother's that Kaoru felt a pang of sadness in her heart. Her cousin ushered her into the house and to the baths, Ayame would not let her fall ill at this point.

"You should learn not to stay out in these storms K-chan; I was so worried about you." Ayame said once her younger cousin was sitting in the hot water and she was washing the long dark mane of hair. "You went to them didn't you?" Kaoru nodded silently as Ayame washed her hair.

"I can't hide any longer Aya, its hurting me to do it." Ayame silenced her by hugging Kaoru's soaked form to her.

"The choice is yours, I have a feeling he may be more understanding than we have thought." Kaoru turned to look Ayame in the eye, her sapphire rimmed gold ones full of curiosity. "I've seen him watching you cousin, I see in his eyes what I see in yours." She turned Kaoru back around so she could finish washing the dark mane. "Even though he says he doesn't trust you, he does and he loves you. I haven't spoken to him directly, but a woman knows these things K-chan."

"I'm sorry Aya-chan," Kaoru whispered causing Ayame to giggle and call her silly. "Akio told me about that husband of yours," there was a faint growl to her words as tension filled her shoulders with the desire to spring and kill the man she spoke of.

"Calm yourself Kaoru, he is all ready dead. His betrayal was dealt with years ago, I'm just glad I never bore him children." Kaoru nodded and the rest of the bath was past in silence. When Ayame was satisfied that her cousin wouldn't fall ill from her wandering in the storm she allowed her to rise and dress. "Will you retire to your chambers? Or would you prefer mine?"

"I'll be fine in my own, could you see to it that I have breakfast in my room though? I am not going to be able to handle seeing him with me like this that early in the day." Ayame nodded and the two went their separate ways to sleep for the night.

Kenshin sat against one of the walls in his room the storm had woken him from the light sleep he had fallen into. He sighed as he thought over the last week and a half, he hadn't spoke to Kaoru in all that time. It was killing him and his other half. They both craved her attention, for her smile to be at them, for her presence to calm them as only she could. _This is pathetic rurounin,_ Battousai muttered from the depths of their mind. Kenshin snorted slightly but agreed.

'Maybe we should apologize for being so harsh to her. Everyone swore on their lives that Kage was a woman, so she didn't actually lie to us.' He could feel and almost see Battousai nodding in agreement even as he was pacing within the confines that Kenshin granted him. He had taken to watching over Kaoru and Ayame during their little training bouts, but he had grown frustrated. He could only see her, he could talk to her or touch her as he used to. Whenever the girls were within the dojo, which seemed to be all day, he had taken to wandering the city. Helping where ever he could.

Though a few nights into the girls' training Kaoru had disappeared, he hunted the grounds and found nothing. Then he found the gardens where they became the forest just beyond the walls. Kenshin had found her there, walking among the boughs singing a calm melody herself. Kaoru hadn't noticed him, but he could feel the effects of her voice on his soul. Yet he still turned and left her, he had needed to speak to Akio about her safety among the trees.

Akio had merely chuckled and slapped him on the back, saying "She's safe, trust me." When Kenshin inquired as to how that could be due to all the things he had seen happen during the war, Akio had just laughed harder. Ayame had to explain for her uncle.

"There is nothing out of the ordinary; it was all Kage's doing. She would never hurt Kaoru while she walks there, and she would never let anyone else get to her."

"But I didn't feel Kage there,"

"Oh she's out there, trust me," trust her huh? Kenshin had been a little skeptical at first, but he knew that if Ayame and Akio weren't worried about Kaoru in the forest then he had to be a fool for worrying. Tonight was no different then the last week or so of nights. The storm worried him though; he could feel Kaoru and knew that she had to be out in the trees again. _Kage had better be out there tonight, Kaoru is terrified of storms_ growled out Battousai.

It wasn't until the storm began to pass and the rain calmed to a light drizzle that he felt Kaoru walk among the grounds. Her aura felt different though, it felt darker somehow he just could figure it out. It was well into the night when he heard movement from her room next to his. She gave a soft sigh and lit the candle in her room.

"I know you're awake, what do you want?" there was an edge to her voice, like she was straining with something.

"Sessha wanted to apologize, to you and Ayame, mainly you. I guess sessha's mind got the better of him where Kage was concerned." Kaoru gave a soft growl and he saw her shadow move so her hands were on her head. "Kaoru-sama, are you okay?"

"Why Kenshin, why do you call yourself sessha?" her muffled voice said no malice or anger, just curiosity. _She has a good question there baka;_ Battousai said and fell silent once more as she spoke. "Just because of things that were beyond your control? You blame yourself for the actions of others, what for? To repent? For what? I was alive during the war. Anything that may have happened due to actions you took could not have been worth killing yourself over. Believe me Kenshin, anything you did would be nothing in comparison to what Kage had done. Now go to sleep, tomorrow Kage will be coming. I want you rested so you can a proper hold on Battousai."

With that said on her part she blew out the candle and he heard the rustle of fabric as she lay down and her breathing evened out in sleep. _There is only one thing that Kage could have done that was worse then my actions._ 'And that is what?' Kenshin said with slight anger that they may have misjudged the other hitoriki. _Kill out of vengeance, killing innocent people with that in her mind. That is the only thing worse then what we did._ Battousai was actually quite somber in his admission and it shocked Kenshin. The rurounin lay down within the fading warmth of his blankets, closing his eyes with hope of sleep.

_How can you sleep?_ 'Easy my body is tired,' Battousai gave him the impression of pacing circles within their mind again causing Kenshin to sigh. 'What now, sessha is tired,' _I am still trying to figure out this mess._ 'Why?' _Because our beloved said that Kage would be here tomorrow, I'm trying to figure out if we should trust the old fool._ Kenshin remained silent, mostly out of shock that his other half was willing to consider trusting an old enemy. 'I think a good night's rest will help us to decide,' Battousai agreed with him and allowed their body to fall into a light slumber.

* * *

A gentle knock on the door, roused the one within the room. The occupant sat at an open door to the near by gardens enjoying the morning air. The door slid open slowly due to a lack of response; Ayame poked her head through and smiled. 

"Not in the mood to speak cousin?" Laughed Ayame as she slipped into the room with a tray of food, "I figured it would be better that I brought your breakfast to you." Still no response from the silent figure that was Kaoru, it was beginning to worry her. "K-chan, please respond." Kaoru sighed and turned from the door, closing it quietly behind her.

"I was lost in my thought Aya, I apologize," her normal soothing timber was deeper but still sounded like a woman's. Kaoru looked up at her, straight in to Ayame's eyes. The golden ring surrounding Kaoru's iris's blended into the ring of sapphire blue surrounding it. "It's been a long time Ayame," Ayame smiled regardless of the sliver of fear that raced through her spine.

"Yes it has, now please eat, you will need your strength. Akio said that he wished to do some weight training with you." Kaoru raised a brow questioningly causing Ayame to shrug while her cousin ate. "We both know you're strong, but I think he wants to be certain that you're at the top of your skills again." Kaoru made a sound in her throat saying that she understood. Ayame stood and moved to the door, reopening it and sitting on the private walkway to stare at the garden.

"What is on your mind?" her voice was soft and just as Ayame remembered from all those years ago.

"I'm just thinking about last night."

"What of it cousin?"

"Your friend Kenshin, I spoke with him this morning you know. He seemed to be distracted, when I asked him about it he simply said that he was wondering where you were, and when Kage would be arriving." Ayame had changed the subject and both had their reason for being grateful. Kaoru laughed as she sat down next to Ayame, adjusting her yukata so she could be comfortable.

"I told him last night, his guard must be on high alert with the knowledge that I'm supposed to be here." Ayame shook her head and looked at her cousin.

"No, K-chan, he said that he wanted to be the first to speak with you so he could form a truce." Kaoru's eyes widened slightly and she broke down laughing. "Kaoru, be serious cousin, he seemed dead set in doing this." Her laughter settled into giggling then silenced as she sighed.

"I know he was and so am I. it just amuses me that he finally came to realize that I was harmless to him and all in this house after I basically tell him he has no choice." Ayame tilted her head slightly in question and Kaoru said to disregard her earlier words. "Come though, I need to dress for training and you have things to tend to for that meeting in two days." Kaoru handed Ayame the travel bag that she had shoved into a corner of her closet.

The black chest bindings were first, they both laughed that they had barely enough to bind Kaoru's chest. Ayame made the comment that her body had finally had a chance to grow into its proper form. The hakama and gi still fit, but were tighter than they used to be. They made an agreement to get new measurements and have new clothes made before the meeting. Ayame grabbed some wrap to put on her feet and wrist so they were supported for the day of training they knew was going to push her to her limits. The final step was her midnight hair, Kaoru said to just pull it up like she had been for the last couple of years using a jade ribbon to hold it.

Kaoru thanked her and slid her father's sword into the belt that Tae had also packed into the bag. Ayame pulled out a small box and asked her what it was.

"My mother's necklace," she muttered and told her to put it on the vanity with her other things, she would wear it tonight at dinner and from then on. With everything dealt with Kaoru disappeared out of her room, leaving Ayame to clean up the breakfast and make sure everything was secure. This was going to be a long day and Ayame was not looking forward to it and she had a feeling that neither was Kaoru.

* * *

Well there we go folks :bows: another chapter and I think I did a good job personally. Any who I have reached a block with my school work and I won't be able to do anything for a week or so other than my class work. So thank you again for the reviews and I'll get another chapter out when I can. 

Just _how_ is Kenshin going to react when he sees with his own eyes that his beloved is his former rival? How will the Kamiyas handle Kage's presence among them once more or the meeting with their rivals? Only two days left until the confrontation.


	5. Discoveries Made

Chapter Five: Discoveries Made

The dojo stood in silence as Akio moved around shutting doors and preparing for his niece's arrival to meet him. He finished his work and took a step back to be certain everything was ready. A soft laugh directly behind him caused him to jump forward and swing around in a defensive posture. There she stood, Kaoru Kamiya, proud as her father and beautiful as her mother.

"You requested my presence?" she asked softly, he nodded and dropped his form while sheathing his sword. He stared straight into her gold and sapphire eyes that stared at him coolly, the mirth of moments before gone.

"I merely wished to see if you were still as fast as in your youth." She raised a dark eye brow in curiosity, "it is no slant against you, but I know that with age our bodies tend to slow." She nodded as he turned and grabbed a set of weights with wrist bands. "These should be familiar to you my niece," again she nodded and helped him tie them to her limbs.

They stood opposite each other waiting for the one to make a move. Kaoru growled in her mind, her patience gone with this matter as she attacked. Block, parry, thrust, block, block, thrust. Again and again they attacked each other until well into the afternoon when Ayame approached the dojo to summon them for lunch.

"Ahem," she coughed loudly to get the attention of the blurs. When she was ignored, she growled quite impressively at them and yelled, "Stop!" They listened and dropped to the ground in defensive forms. Kaoru stood with her sword slowly dropping to rest on the floor boards under her feet, while Akio rested on his good knee several yards away; his sword falling from its guarding place in front of his body.

"Thank you," Ayame sighed and looked closer at Kaoru, she was covered in sweat, and her breathing was heavy but not labored like their uncle's. "Cousin to the hot springs with you, I may not be the lady of this house but I have been its caretaker. I will not have you in that state at the family table, either of you." With that said Kaoru sheathed her sword and untied the weights from her body with Ayame's help. The two women left Akio to himself in the dojo and retreated to the bathing chambers.

"Oi," Akio muttered as he fell backward, his tired body giving out and his sword falling near by. It was a short while later that he heard what he'd been hoping for. The footsteps of a couple males, their voices speaking softly to each other of matters to which he did not care of. The door slid open, revealing Kenshin and Sanosuke. "Hello lads, a hand for an old man?" He watched them exchange a look and moved to help him up; holding him till his legs took his weight. "Sagara, hand me that cane against the door there. My bad leg is my problem today." Sano did as asked and handed the old swordsman the pale oak walking stick.

"What happened to you Akio-san," asked Kenshin slowly releasing the other fighter to his own accord.

"Training," was all he said as he stumbled out, leaning on the cane as he walked to the main house. Kenshin looked around the dojo observing the way that Akio had left it, noticing the weights and the chipped and splintered wood.

"This is strange," whispered Kenshin as he examined the wood of one of the pillars closer. Blade marks marred the formerly well carved wood.

"What is?"

"Look at the wood; it is covered in marks formed by a blade." He said walking over the floor to where the weights rested in a neat stack. "These weights are stacked," Sano just shrugged and pick one up to test it.

"Akio must've over done it a bit."

"Sano we found him over there," Kenshin said quite plainly as he pointed almost twenty feet away from where they stood. "The bands weren't cut, and if he had taken them off in the process then they would not be sitting here."

"Then who was using them?" Kenshin looked around him at the pale woods and mahogany beams and planks that made up the floor, walls and roof of the dojo. He wasn't ready to believe what he had been told, yet Sano deserved to know it. "Kenshin, man, tell me who you think it was."

"I went in search of Kaoru this morning, Ayame told me she had business with Akio this morning and that's why she wasn't at breakfast. I saw Saka a bit ago, and she told me that Kaoru had been here all morning." Sano looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"You can't be serious about thinking missy was the one using these this morning." Sano dropped the weight causing a dull thunk to sound in the almost empty room. Even Battousai was agreeing with the gangster. _Kaoru is capable of a lot baka, but I doubt she is strong enough to throw around her body plus those weights while training. I am willing to agree that it might have been Kage though._ Kenshin sighed deeply and turned his head slightly at the sound of the lunch bell. "Come on Kenshin, food sounds a hell of a lot better than solving this little "mystery", besides we can just try asking Akio again."

"Hai, lets eat," Kenshin silently followed the ex-gangster through the grounds to the dinning room; the rurounin was lost to his thoughts. _Kage _is_ on the grounds, remember fool? We felt her earlier._ 'I know that, but we had request to be the first one she spoke with upon her arrival. Ayame knew that,' Kenshin was honestly confused and a little offended that Kage would not deem them worthy of granting a simple request for a meeting.

So distracted by his thoughts and conversation with his darker half was he that he almost ran into Sano, of who had stopped short at the door to the dinning room. The shorter male leaned around the former fighter for hire when he noticed a lack of sound. What he saw shocked him and caused his eyes to widen like saucers.

The Kamiya household sat around the table silently dressed in their formal family colors and crests. The table was decorated accordingly with the jade green of the Kamiya clan with the onyx dragon emblem in the center of the table. They all sat weaponless in their seats, a state that Kenshin had yet to see them in since the gumi's arrival. Their blades and weapons of preference lined the walls in an orderly fashion of rank in the house.

With the shock wearing off the duo took their appropriate seats at the table just as the door opened from the hall. Ayame stood beside Akio and aided the man who in that moment seemed so much older than he had that morning to his seat. She placed his sword and throwing knives on the wall above where she placed her daggers. The wall appeared to be an armory with all of the blades and other weapons that lined it. All seemingly of the same make, forged by the same flame, but she caught his eye as she stepped to the head of the table. Her head held high and a gentle almost invisible smile to her face and eyes.

"As you all know, our beloved Kage has returned and of her own will. Let us not anger her during her stay," she said crossly as she and everyone else turned to look at the former head, and her own father, Shin. "We all know that this battle will be hard on Yosaka, and on her. She will need our cooperation in all forms possible. Children you are blessed with a chance to show us just how grown up you are. Show your respect to her as she deserves and do not cross her. Our stories were very true of the bakamatsu." With her speech finished she sat down to the right of the head of the table.

The doors once more opened, revealing the now long awaited Kage.

"Kaoru?" whispered Yahiko from beside Akio, his eyes wide and his jaw slack with shock and if Kenshin was right, fear. Yet the boy was right, there she stood for all to see.

Her silken midnight hair was pulled back in the old style of the samurai as it hung down her back like water in movement. Her form was clothed as Kenshin remembered it during the war, the jade gi and black hakama hung to hide her femininity. The black dragon hung on her right shoulder glaring sharply at all who dared to look or approach her. The part that disturbed Kenshin was her eyes. They were no longer the loving deep blue sapphire eyes that he could so easily drown in, no, now they were a dark honey gold. Only a small ring of sapphire remained to show her loving soul that was hiding within.

Kenshin felt his insides turn to ice at the sight that stood before him and moved to the head of the table with an unknown grace. He could see wonder and fear in Yahiko's eyes and felt a strong pull of confusion from Sano who sat at his side. Kenshin shook his head when Yahiko opened his mouth to say something, but Sano slipped and spoke for the group before Kenshin could stop him.

"Kaoru?" he spoke just loud enough to be heard by those at the head of the table. Yet she barely showed any sign of recognition as she sat in her place. The seat to the left, the place of her husband, was empty while Ayame sat at her right. Sano tried again, "Kage?" Anger laced his confusion as he spoke straight forward to the returned hitoriki. "What in the hell is going on here!" Ayame moved to quite him, but Kage raised her hand in silence and turned to him, her eyes devoid of emotions

"All will be explained after the midday meal," was all she said as the servants rushed in with the food and just as quickly disappeared through the door from which they came. They family waited for Kage to eat the first bite before they began eating and remained as silent as their guardian through out the meal. Once she finished she rose and left through the garden door. At least she tried.

"You promised us an explanation, Kaoru never broke her promises," Yahiko's voice spoke of desperation but when Kenshin looked in the young man's eyes he saw determination. _It seems the boy is full of more surprises than we thought_, Battousai purred with satisfaction at Kage's iron rod back. She looked over her shoulder at Yahiko with calm golden eyes, which held a silent heat of anger that burned within their depths. Kenshin could feel the tension in the room between the family members and friends around the long table.

"The dojo," with those soft spoken words Kage was gone and Ayame was slumped against Akio with a sigh of relief. She quickly rose and left the dinning area as the family moved to go about their afternoons. Kenshin could bet that she had a few new errands to tend to in regards to the meeting.

. . . 

The group settled in a familiar half circle while Akio stood against the open door with his hands resting on his cane. Ayame was busying herself with pouring a few cups of tea and a saucer of sake for her uncle and Kage; who sat silently before them. They saw their sister, their loved one, but she wasn't the one that was staring at them coolly through half lidded golden eyes. Kenshin could feel Battousai stunned and silent, it was very unnerving.

"Aya, Akio, please leave us?" the words, though a question, were stated in a very simple but kind dismissal of the two family members of who obeyed. "I know you want answers, you've every right to them," she said softly as she turned her eyes down. Kage sighed and the group watched her shoulders slump slightly as they did whenever Kaoru admitted defeat against them.

"Are you the cause of Kaoru's nightmares?" Yahiko asked gently, not wishing to anger the hitoriki before him. His question brought all eyes to him in curiosity, "What? I was a thief before I was a student; I know how to do these things." Kage chuckled slightly and nodded.

"It was the memories," Yahiko made a sound of understanding, but his face still showed a lack of it causing her to laugh. "I think I should start from the beginning. I am Kaoru Kage Kamiya, head of the Kamiya clan and lady of Yosaka, fifth Master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu and the third Master of the Minshu Ryu." She bowed slightly to them as their jaws dropped.

"Kaoru has a middle name?" exclaimed Sano which in turned caused Kage to sigh deeply.

"I am Kaoru; I'm just a darker half of her. A part our parents had tried to _prevent_ but their death at our tender age of six made that hard." Her voice, Kenshin swore, could freeze water.

"What would you have us call you then Jo-chan?"

"Not that, if you must call me anything then let it be Kage. That is how Yosaka knows me, and that is how I shall remain." That stirred Battousai from his slumber of shock. _What! She can't be serious!_ As if she could hear the hitoriki shouting in his mind, her golden and sapphire eyes turned to him. "When this battle is over, I do not know what will come to pass, but I shall remain a part of the woman you knew." _This should be _interesting_ then; _drawled Battousai, as he began pacing and listening to the conversation being held until Yahiko asked to be released to practice and Sano went with the boy to make sure he didn't get killed.

"You had your own words you wished to share am I correct Battousai?" Kenshin nodded as he felt the manslayer within him pushing to the surface. He noticed her smirk and felt the last of his restraints leave him.

"An offer of peace," he said deeply, his voice dropped two octaves lower than normal announcing the Battousai's presence.

"Your reason being for the sake of the woman you love," she stated staring him straight in his golden eyes.

"Hai," she sighed and rubbed her temple slightly.

"This shall be an interesting list of events then,"

"And why? Because you are living within Kaoru's body?" he felt the movement before he saw her move as her sword, although sheathed, rested at his throat. He couldn't help the smirk at the show of her temper as Kenshin asked him what he was thinking.

"She and I are one, as we were born to be. My parents…" her words trailed as she spoke, almost as if she was realizing that she was about to share something private. Kage rose to her feet grabbing the bottle of sake and placing her sword on the ground where she has sat. Her movements showed the grace of a feline and killer that Battousai and Kenshin had never seen a woman possess as she walked to the open door to look across the gardens.

He joined her at the door to see Yahiko walking through a few simple drills with Akio yelling at his mistakes. They stood in companionable silence and he noticed a slight grin on her lips when Yahiko tripped over a move and Akio could be clearly heard cursing at the boy's stupidity. Ayame and Sano sat on the near by walkway, Ayame was blushing from her uncle's choice of words and Sano was close to falling off the walkway from laughter.

"I will accept the treaty of peace; we all need to live and preferably with harmony between the two of us. If not for the sake of our own health, than for their sake, I doubt they could handle us fighting like we used to." Her voice was soft and warm, something that startled him into a small oro. It caused her to chuckle deeply with true laughter as she turned to face him with her sake bottle raised. "To our new lives, may the peace we hold last us a lifetime."

Their containers clinked and they drank deeply. Kage sighed and shook her head with a smirk as he asked her what she was grinning about. "It's nothing really, I was just remembering the old days. If anyone honestly asked me thirteen years ago that I would cross paths with you in a peaceable manner I would have slit their throats for their stupidity." He nodded in agreement.

"Let me guess you imagined I'd be dead by the end of the war so you'd never cross paths with me again?" She nodded as her smirk became a full grin.

"I made a promise to Tae after I returned from that fight; I swore I would never draw my sword again." She sighed and moved back to the cushions to rest and grabbed a new sake bottle. She grumbled something under her breath about promises and youth.

"And here you are, ready to fight for your kin and home."

"And yet you are here too," she said softly with a look in her eyes that froze his blood. "Let's not forget that this is against my will."

"You are a hitoriki by nature," _HA! Two can play this game! _Thought Battousai while he could feel Kenshin pace within their mind and curse at him for the anger he could feel from Kage. He watched as Kage visibly leashed her temper and took another drink, this time from the bottle.

"How are we supposed to live peaceably if we keep taking shots at each other like this?" she asked as she sunk into the pillows around her and stared at him. He shrugged and took a drink from his cup then settled more comfortably in the pillows surrounding him.

"Mayhap it is a sign that we should let them surface?" Kage shook her head against his words and he asked why.

"Kaoru wished to sleep," he guessed that he had a questioning look cause she rubbed her temple slightly as spoke. "Twelve years has taken it toll on her."

"And just how is that?" he asked when she didn't seem to be more forthcoming with information. Her glare spoke levels but he still wasn't sure what was happening to his beloved to tire her so much.

"You," she said simply, voice blank, "You and him, your stunts." She grabbed the last sake bottle and rose from her seat while grabbing her sword. Kage moved to leave the dojo, but quickly found that she couldn't move. She could feel Kaoru stir within the depths of their mind and the faint pounding that was forming at the back of her skull where it hit the ground. Battousai's weight refused to yield so she could rise to check for bleeding on her scalp, his sheathed sword rested against her throat.

'Kage, what is going on?' Kaoru was still tired, she had been resting for almost two days and still her other half was not restored. _Nothing my sister, Battousai and I merely had a… disagreement_. 'Disagreement my foot, but I trust you can get our body out of this without too much damage. Just remember to be nice, I would like to marry Kenshin as a whole man.' Kage laughed silently as Kaoru retreated back to the depths to rest. She turned her attention back to the man pinning her to the ground in time to see the pain flash through his amethyst flecked eyes.

Kage forced her body to submit and relax under his hold. Battousai withdrew the sword, allowing her to breath properly again. He settled his weight across her hips and waist while the sword stayed in an easy use reach across his lap.

"How did I hurt her?" Kage knew why Kaoru love Kenshin, but the man was giving her a headache of which she had never felt before. "Tell me Kage," Battousai tensed as she tried to move and check her head with a free hand.

"It's not my place to tell," she paused to touch the soreness of a forming lump with a wince. "And yet I will tell you something if you agree to get off of me." He nodded but did not move, causing her to bite back a growl as she thought of how to word what needed to be said without ruining things. "When you walk away, every time you do that, you hurt us more then you realize." Kage watched his golden eyes widen slightly as he lifted his weight from her body. Instead of sitting back on the pillows he walked out the door to the gardens. She rose and watched him walk in a daze, probably more confused than he had been in a long time. When his path veered to the thick trees off to the right, she felt a lash of tension slap her shoulders.

. . . . . 

His trek was slow and distracted as he wove through the trees and under low branches. Kage's words ringing through his mind, showing him what he had denied all the times he had walked away to fight some opponent. He had known that it was to protect Kaoru, and he knew that she knew that. _We never thought how her heart felt_, Kenshin agreed from within, having pulled himself away from the surface of their mind to relive the images of his beloved. 'Hai, we wanted her to live, we tried to avoid giving her something to hold, and yet we walked straight into her arms.'

Battousai's stepped halted as he found himself in a clearing, _I've been here_. 'No, we were near here; the trees are similar but older, much older.' Gravestones littered the ground; it had to be the Kamiya graveyard, Kaoru's kin. 'We shouldn't be here,' Kenshin said warily, _I know that fool; but something is here that we are supposed to find_. His golden eyes scanned the surrounding land again, hoping to find whatever had pulled him here. _This was her reason, the fire in her eyes that day, she wasn't defending Yosaka it was her kin's resting place. She didn't want anyone to defile it_.

"I see you found them," her voice was no more than a whisper, a brush of wind. It came from every where and no where as he searched the surrounding trees, and used his skills as a hitoriki to try and find her. Battousai sighed in defeat when he found that he couldn't find her.

"Come out Kage," Battousai hadn't expected her to listen to him as she stepped out from behind a large oak tree to his right, under which rested two markers. As Kage walked past them, he noticed her fingers casually brush one of the stones. Kenshin's insistent pacing ceased as they read what the stones said. Her chuckle brought them from their shock as she spoke.

"I almost killed you just for being near them, and yet this time you find them and I do nothing."

"Time changes the mind and heart like the stream does the river's course." Kenshin had spoken for that moment and was glad he had for it placed a smile on Kage's face, a real Kaoru like smile. "Why didn't you lead me away that day?"

"I didn't have the strength," Kage's words, though simple, explained the fire he had seen in her eyes during that final battle. Showed him how it was possible for Kaoru to have bared that same fire on the day they first met. Battousai nodded remaining silent with his observations. He looked to the sky and saw the start of twilight meaning dinner would be served shortly, and the family would wonder where they had gone.

"We should return, Ayame will worry," Kage stated as she brushed past him, only the barest hint of touch between their shoulders. He turned and found a trail that was worn betwixt a pair of medium sized willows whose branches served as a gate door of sorts. The very trail he must of unknowingly followed, or 'mayhap we were led down.' Battousai agreed with his gentle counterpart as he walked silently behind the former hitoriki.

_I still can't believe that you asked me to let him see them._ 'I didn't,' Kaoru was finally regaining her strength and was wake. But it didn't help that their head still hurt from where it had met the hard wood of the dojo floor. _Then who did my sister?_ The girl did not answer; _you don't honestly think it was her do you?_ 'She was the one who said that anything was possible if the Kami so deemed it. Perhaps they felt he needed to see that.' Kage had the impression of Kaoru shrugging her shoulders in defeat.

Kage sigh inwardly, not wanting Battousai to know she was dealing with this much confusion. First Shin somehow brought to life the feud that she thought she had laid to rest during the war, and then Kage was given her freedom to do what had to be done. To make matters worse Kenshin and Battousai were bringing feelings to the surface in both sides of her that she didn't know how to handle, and now a woman whom they thought had truly left them alone was once more playing with their mind.

'I know Kenshin would be willing to listen, maybe Battousai will be willing to help us?' _Iie, I will not ask him, this is not truly his mess. Our_ beloved _uncle placed this family in danger once more and as its guardian and lady it is our place to deal with this_. Kaoru seemed upset with this answer, or maybe it was the hidden spirit who had played teacher and guide for so long again.

Kage took a deep breath of the forest air, stopping short when something seemed out of place. Battousai's steps halted with hers as she allowed her senses to span. Her nose picked up the faint smell of coal and wood fires, something that the house fires were not made up of. Her ears picked up the sound of metal clinking in an odd pattern, it was faint but enough for her to figure out where it was coming from. Southeast, a few miles away from the city's main gates, Kage moved to leave and make an example of a few of the fools when she remembered Battousai.

"Continue without me Battousai."

"No"

"Yes" Her voice held the obvious command as her eyes met his for a brief moment, gold meeting gold. She sighed deeply and rubbed lightly at her left temple warding off the headache she could feel forming behind her eyes. "Stay in one piece," Kage leapt into a run with her words and left his to follow at her heels

'Stay in one piece?' _if I'm right then it means that our beloved's enemy is near, and more so than they are supposed to be_. Kenshin remained silent with his question answer he felt no need to speak up against the side of him that could fight with deadly precision, protecting what they felt needed to be.

Kage slowed and leapt upward into the thick lower branches of a nearby oak. He came to a stop beneath her, yet she motioned him to join her on the branch. Once settled she moved some of the leaves aside allowing fire light to show. _So I was right_, campfires lit the clearing very well within the twilight hour. It was filled with soldiers, filled to the brim with drunken soldiers. He turned to ask her their approach but he found her gone. 'I had a feeling she would do this to us, that I did.' _she_ was_ called the shadow hitoriki_. Battousai sighed inwardly as he scanned the grounds littered by fires.

Everything was so very simple in its set up, the main wagons were space around the clearing, and the elegant tents were at the far end of the clearing where the trees seemed thicker. Within the wagons the fires were spaced out proportionately so that six fires filled the opening with light.

"Let us be gone," the gentlest whisper of wind that was the only way describe her voice in that moment and it completely caught him off guard. His fast grip on the branch beneath his feet was the only thing keeping him from falling. He felt a poke on the top of his head and looked up. There she was, hanging upside down from a branch above his head a few feet, and her eyes were bright. They reminded him of when Kaoru was laughing or just plain happy. He nodded as she flipped and landed next to him only to launch herself off to another. _Oh this should be interesting_, 'this was never a strong point for us and you know it, hit the ground.'

It wasn't until they reached the family garden that they stopped to breathe. Kage stood tall with Battousai just in front of her, he turned to ask her what she had done but just as he turned she started laughing. _Well she's full of surprises tonight_, he could tell she was trying to say something but not what. When her laughter calmed enough to speak and allow her to stand somewhat straight again, he finally understood her.

"I wish that you, oh kami, the look on your face." She shook her head with a bright smile, "I will never forget it, that I shall not." _At least she finds it humorous_, muttered Battousai dryly. Kage wiped her eyes of the laughter tears, the sparkle of mirth in her eyes made him warm inside despite his efforts to be offended.

"Are you finished?"

"Hai," he grunted at the laughter still bouncing in the single word.

"So what did you do?" His question produced the jingling sound of metal as she held up a ring of keys at their eye level. Her smile became a feral grin as she spoke.

"I warned them once, I will not take any chances with my family's lives." She tucked the keys into the gi which he just noticed was hugging her tired air thirsty body a little tighter. He felt his own body tighten in response as Battousai's mind wandered leaving Kenshin in control once more.

"What good does that do, that I wonder," Kenshin watched her roll her eyes at his tone.

"These keys are to the weapons wagons, aside from a few smaller weapons, they now have nothing. My people will stand a chance if they try to surprise us." He nodded as she walked past him toward the lighted dinning area that held its doors open. Ayame stood there, a slightly heavier shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Worry shone in her deep colored eyes as they approached. Kage shook her head at her cousin's attempts to ask her any questions. "Let us eat cousin Akio, we need to speak when the meal is finished." Her uncle simply nodded and the meal when eaten once more in silence.

Kage audibly sighed once the family had been dismissed from the dinning hall. Akio sat silently nursing a cup of sake, Ayame had refused to leave the hall so at Akio side she sat prim as ever. Sano and Kenshin both rested against different pillars near the door enjoying the cool breeze.

"What did you see at the camp neice?"

"Many fighters, most young and brash, they will be trained but true combat they've never seen."

"But?" Ayame's question brought all of their attention to her more sharply.

"_He_ is among them, I felt _him_. Ayame I am beginning to rethink this whole plan,"

"No" Ayame stopped her with a anger filled with ice and a hint of fear. Kage responded with hot anger as she growled her cousin's name. "No cousin, I will not have you die for anything. You've as much right to live as I do." Kage saw Kenshin stiffen at the mention of her dying.

"What do you mean," Kage glared at Ayame, trying to silence her cousin but it has no effect on their uncle as he set his cup down.

"The son of our opponent, he has an affliction of sorts for the lady of our family since the lot were children."

"Uncle" both women turned on him with hot anger as Kage's eyes flashed a brighter shade of gold.

"Enough girls," his firm voice silence them both as he continued. "He became violent in his attentions just as Ayame fully bloomed into the maiden that she is now. He, like anyone beyond the city's people, believed that she was our lady, that she was Kaoru." He took a long drink of sake before he spoke again. "During the battle Ayame's life was held at point and Kage did the only thing she could, betrayed the evidence. She yelled her cousin's true name, it brought everything back to our guardian and she dragged the last of the battle from the confines of our walls. That was the last we saw of her. A young scout had been sent to find her, he returned two days later with one of Kage's wrist braces covered in blood. We assumed the worse.

I was the one who contacted Tae in Tokyo to ask if she has seen my niece, and it was she whom said that she had, but only in passing." With those words, he turned his attention to Kage as she drank deeply of her sake bottle. "Tae had written that she was heavily injured but had refused aide, only asking for food and water as she passed through. I had always wondered if it were true."

"Are you through uncle?" Kage said softly as she stood, "Ayame will you join me in the baths. We need to speak," her golden eyes scanned the three males, "in private."

………….

Okay, sorry about the god awful long wait folks. All shit hit the fan and it took me a little longer than I had expected to get everything under control again. I promise that I am working on the next chapter but I am working full time and trying to keep myself from going crazy due to stress. I will hopefully have another for you in a week or so. So in the mean time enjoy!


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